Jaguars signing Adrian Amos a sign Andrew Wingard's injury is worse than thought

Safety Andrew Wingard suffered a knee injury in training camp. To fill the void his potential absence will create, the Jacksonville Jaguars just signed Adrian Amos, a grizzled veteran with ample starting experience. One undertone of the acquisition is that Dewey's injury might be more severe than originally expected.

Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report first reported the Amos signing. The team later officially announced the move on social media, along with the addition of defensive tackle Jonathan Marshall. To make room for both, the Jags waived defensive tackle Adam Gotsis and cornerback Gregory Junior.

As a vested veteran, Gotsis will become a free agent if he goes unclaimed. He joined the team in 2020 and has become a valuable rotational piece on the defensive line. However, the Jaguars are stacked at defensive tackle and he was likely a victim of the numbers game. By releasing him now, they'll give him a chance to land in a favorable situation.

On the other hand, Gregory, a sixth-round pick in 2022, will revert to the Jacksonville Injury Reserve list if nobody claims him. He was the first prospect out of Ouachita Baptist to be ever drafted. Like Gotsis, he was facing steep competition to make the team and would've been a long shot if he had stayed.

Amos a fifth-round pick in 2015, spent his four seasons with the Chicago Bears. He then played for the Green Bay Packers from 2019-2022. The former Penn State Nittany Lion signed with the New York Jets last year but was traded midseason. Throughout his nine-year career, he's appeared in 142 games with 125 starts, registering 664 total tackles, six sacks, 10 interceptions, three forced fumbles, and 10 interceptions.

In Jacksonville, Amos will tentatively be the top backup at safety behind Andre Cisco and sophomore Antonio Johnson. The coaching staff could also lean on Darnell Savage, who signed a two-year deal in free agency, but it looks like they intend to keep him in the slot.

Speaking of Savage, he'll be reunited with Amos. They were teammates in Green Bay from 2019-2022.

Signing Adrian Amos means Jaguars S Andrew Wingard may not be ready for the opener

An undrafted free agent in 2019, Andrew Wingard made the roster as a rookie and has gone on to become a key contributor for the Jacksonville Jaguars ever since. He worked his way up the depth chart and became a full-time starter in 2021. However, he's better suited for a backup role and special teams. It's worth mentioning that the former Wyoming Cowboy plays a vital leadership role in the locker room, with his teammates naming him team captain in 2023.

Wingard got off to a strong start to training camp. In one practice, he picked off Trevor Lawrence twice but suffered an injury that has kept him sidelined. Even though the Jaguars haven't provided a timeline for his potential result, head coach Doug Pederson says the veteran safety will miss considerable time, so signing Adrian Amos might be a sign they're anticipating an extended absence.

You could make the case that adding Amos to the safety room was unnecessary because the Jags already have Andre Cisco and Antonio Johnson in the fold. The counterargument is that both of them are one injury away from missing time and Jacksonville will want to have the best possible replacement ready to step up if either goes down. Amos fits the bill.

As of this writing, it's uncertain how much time Andrew Wingard will miss, if any. But by signing Amos, the Jacksonville Jaguars are bracing themselves for the worst-case scenario.

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