Jaguars Week 2 report includes surprise appearance, Browns rule out David Njoku

The Jacksonville Jaguars expected cornerback Tyson Campbell to miss time after suffering a hamstring injury in the season opener. Heading into Week 2, head coach Doug Pederson provided an update on Campbell's status for Week 2.

Pederson told the local media Wednesday that Campbell is a candidate for Injured Reserve, pointing out that a handful of players can step in his place during his potential absence.

If Campbell does land on IR, he will sit out at least four weeks. If that's the path the Jags take, rookie Jarrian Jones and Montaric Brown will see more playing time during his absence.

For the time being, Campbell got the "Did not Practice" designation on the initial Week 2 Injury Report. Apart from him, Daniel Thomas and left tackle Cam Robinson were listed as limited Wednesday. The latter was a surprise addition.

Thomas has been dealing with a heel injury dating back to the preseason. He missed the opener but is back at practice, with Pederson noting that he's getting back them. On the other hand, this is Robinson's first time landing on the injury report. It doesn't seem like he will miss time, but if he does, Walker Little can fill in for him.

The Browns, for their part, will be without David Njoku. Their start tight end suffered an ankle injury in the opener and has been placed on IR after suffering ahead of Week 2.

Besides ruling out Njoku, Cleveland listed guard Joel Bitonio (elbow), offensive tackle Jack Conklin (knee), long snapper Charlie Hughlett (foot), defensive tackle Dalvin Tomilson (knee), and defensive end Alex Wright (triceps/elbow) as limited participants in practice in their initial injury report for Week 2. On the other hand, Jedrick Wills Jr. didn't practice. He's dealing with a knee injury.

What will the Jaguars will do without Tyson Campbell in Week 2

Without Tyson Campbell, Montaric Brown or Jarrian Jones will get the starting nod opposite Ronald Darby. Rookie Deantre Prince could also see an uptick in playing time. And to ensure they have depth, the Jacksonville Jaguars could promote Christian Braswell to the active roster in Week 2.

A sixth-round pick, Braswell routinely earned praise in the offseason, so it was a bit shocking to see him not make the initial 53-man roster. On the bright side, he cleared waivers and landed on the practice squad, where he can keep working on his craft.

Another option is Zech McPhearson, whom the Jags signed to their practice squad after Week 1. A fourth-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021, the former Texas Tech Red Raider mostly contributed on special teams in his first two NFL seasons and missed 2023 with an Achilles injury.

At this stage, it's hard to see McPhearson getting his name called, but if injuries start to pile up at cornerback, he could find himself promoted to the active roster.

The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars would surely want to have Tyson Campbell for Week 2 but they have a pair of capable replacements in Montaric Brown and Jarrian Jones. Moreover, they won't have to face David Njoku, so they'll catch a bit of a break. It will be up to their defense to take advantage of what seems to be a favorable matchup.

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