The Jacksonville Jaguars will have a key defender on the field when they kick off the 2021 season against the Houston Texans, head coach Urban Meyer announced on Friday.
Cornerback Tyson Campbell, who is slotted to be the team's starting nickel cornerback, will play this Sunday after having been limited in practice this week with a calf injury and missing Week 3 of the preseason with the same injury.
"Tyson Campbell, we have him as questionable, but he'll play. He'll play," Meyer said on Friday.
"He had a good day yesterday. He is pretty close to full speed, but he has been limited all week, but he will be ready to go."
Getting Campbell, the No. 33 pick in 2021's NFL Draft, back in the fold will be a big boost to a young and transitioning Jaguars' secondary, especially after the Jaguars traded Sidney Jones to the Seattle Seahawks shortly before final roster cuts were made.
Campbell started for the Jaguars in the second week of the preseason following an injury to Tre Herndon. Campbell allowed two big plays -- each touchdowns -- because of a failure to track the ball the air, but the rookie cornerback also recorded two pass breakups and showed solid man coverage ability from the slot.
“I think when you look at his coverage ability, he’s really good staying with the man. It’s almost—like sometimes he covers him too well—and I say that jokingly. But he has great coverage ability and then not even a split millisecond, you’ve got to turn and make that play," Jaguars defensive coordinator Joe Cullen said during the preseason.
"That’s where he has to get better and our coaches are doing a good job. Tim [Walton] and Joe [Danna] are making sure he’s in those positions during the week to be able to do that as we move forward.”
Herndon was the Jaguars' starting nickel cornerback in the first week of the preseason but injured his knee in the same contest vs. the Cleveland Browns. Herndon has missed practice this week, and each week since the injury. Meyer said on Friday that the fourth-year cornerback isn't far from returning, even if he will miss Sunday's season-opener against Houston.
"Tre is getting close to -- he won't play this week, but he is getting close," Meyer said.
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