The Jacksonville Jaguars have just one starter listed on its inactive for Sunday's 1 p.m. tilt against the Atlanta Falcons, though several rookies found themselves on the list.
The Jaguars were already set to be without starting cornerback Shaquill Griffin (concussion) in Week 12, leaving little surprises on the list of players who would not be available to Jacksonville. Below is each player listed by the Jaguars as inactive.
- CB Shaquill Griffin
- LB Dakota Allen
- OL KC McDermott
- TE Jacob Hollister
- TE Luke Farrell
- DE/OLB Jordan Smith
Griffin and Allen are the only two players who are inactive due to injuries. Allen sustained a shoulder injury in Week 10 against the Colts and head coach Urban Meyer seemed optimistic about his chances to play this week, but the core special teamer will miss his second consecutive game.
Griffin was concussed before halftime in Sunday's 30-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and has since been placed in the concussion protocol. Meyer said on Tuesday that Griffin is day-to-day but today it became official that the Jaguars' No. 1 cornerback would miss the game due to the concussion protocol.
Griffin has started all 10 games for the Jaguars this season, recording 36 tackles, five pass deflections, and one forced fumble in his first season with the team. With Griffin sidelined, the Jaguars will lean on No. 33 overall pick Tyson Campbell, Nevin Lawson, Chris Claybrooks, and potentially Tre Herndon as they look to replace Griffin's place in the lineup.
Griffin has played a large role for the Jaguars in 2021 after signing a three-year, $40 million deal with the team as a free agent this offseason in hopes of Griffin becoming a catalyst to the team's makeover of the secondary.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars have two Day 3 rookie picks as healthy scratches due to the return of tight end James O'Shaughnessy, who was activated off of injured reserve on Saturday after an ankle injury in Week 2 took him off the field for two months. With O'Shaughnessy now back in the fold, the Jaguars had to make rookie fifth-rounder Luke Farrell inactive for the first time this season. Farrell has caught six passes for 49 yards in 10 games.
Smith is inactive for the 11th time this season after the Jaguars traded up in the fourth-round to select the UAB edge-rusher. Smith sits behind Josh Allen, Dawuane Smoot, Jihad Ward, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Lerentee McCray, leading to zero playing time thus far in 2021 for the rookie despite him not dealing with any injuries.
“I’ll tell you, he’s getting better every week. Just keep getting better," defensive coordinator Joe Cullen said about Smith on Nov. 4.
"I’ve had a lot of guys over the years who [you’ve drafted] that your deep at a position, you just have to keep getting better. When your number is called because it’s going to be called during the year, you just have to be ready. He’s really practicing better and doing some great things in the one-on-ones.”
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