Tyson Campbell's incoming return will give Jaguars a tough decision in the secondary

The Jacksonville Jaguars took a step in the right direction when they beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5. While they won't longer have to carry the burden of being the only winless team in the NFL, there are still several unanswered questions. One of them is what they'll do to get a struggling defense going. Fortunately for the Jags, reinforcements are in the way.

The Jaguars announced that they have designated cornerback Tyson Campbell to return from Injured Reserve, opening his 21-day practice window. That means that the former Georgia Bulldog could return to the lineup within the next three weeks.

A realistic date for his return would be Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers or Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles. That bodes well for a secondary that's have a hard time stopping opponents.

A second-round pick in 2021, Campbell had a banner season in 2022 and even joined the conversation about the top-10 cornerbacks in the NFL. However, a hamstring injury hampered him last year. But despite his struggles, the team showed their trust by giving him a fourth-year deal worth $76.5 million in the offseason.

Currently, the Jags rank last in the league in passing yards surrendered and 28th in touchdowns allowed. Having Campbell back in the lineup would certainly give the back seven a much-needed boost.

During Campbell's stay on IR, Montaric Brown has filled in for him. A seventh-round pick in the 2022 draft, the former Arkansas Razorback has logged 37 total tackles and three passes defensed. He's given up a 65.7 percent completion rate and one touchdown.

Brown's best game of the season came in Week 4, when he gave up three catches on nine targets for 31 passing yards. It's fair to say that he's done enough to stay in the lineup, so the coaching staff will need to make a decision when Campbell is back in the fold.

The Jaguars must keep Montaric Brown in the lineup when Tyson Campbell returns

Montaric Brown has been the Jaguars' best cornerback during Tyson Campbell's absence. Rookie Jarrian Jones has also held his own but he's mostly lined up in the slot and will probably stay there when Campbell is back. That said, veteran Ronald Darby could tumble down the depth chart.

A second-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2015, Darby spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Denver Broncos, and the Baltimore Ravens before signing with the Jags earlier this year. The former Florida State Seminole noted at the time that playing for Doug Pederson, his head coach in Philly, was one of the reasons he chose Jacksonville.

Before the regular season, the team's brass said that they still saw Darby as a starter. He's managed to stay healthy in Duval — something he's struggled with throughout his career — but he's been far from great, allowing a 75.9 percent completion rate for 326 yards and two touchdowns in five games.

Once Campbell returns, they should strongly consider benching Darby and keeping Brown in the lineup. The latter has played better and has yet to reach his ceiling while the former is approaching the end of his career.

By keeping Brown in the lineup, the Jaguars would see if they can roll with him or if they will need to address the cornerback position next offseason.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will welcome back Tyson Campbell with arms wide open. That said, there's still a bit of time left before he returns. For the time being, they'll need to sort things out in the secondary.

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