Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile during an NFL scrimmage event at EverBank Stadium, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jaguars' Defense Takes Another Injury Blow

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By John Shipley | Last updated Oct 31, 2025 5:57 PM ET

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- On the same day the Jacksonville Jaguars placed rookie receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, the Jaguars placed a second key player on the sidelines with the reserve list.

The Jaguars announced veteran safety Eric Murray would also be placed on IR on Friday, sidelining him for at least the next four games. Murray did not practice this week due to a neck injury, and the Jaguars will now have a new starter at safety next to Andrew Wingard.

Safety Musical Chairs

Murray has started the first seven games at safety but has dealt with a neck injury for the last several weeks. With Murray now set to miss the next month of games, the Jaguars will be turning to third-year safety Antonio Johnson.

“Man Antonio, I thought he had a really good week of practice. Guy obviously made a huge play for us at Houston, has been a big part of our dime packages throughout the year. Being able to move him around in different positions in terms of playing that linebacker, the safety, a lot of talent and he knows, ‘Hey man, I got a great opportunity here.’" Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said about Johnson on Friday.

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"And I have a lot of confidence in him, great athlete, long, rangey. And the more he gets comfortable with the communication back there and playing with Dewey [S Andrew Wingard] and those guys in the backend, I think you look for Antonio to have a good week and step up this week as well.”

Other safeties who were on the Jaguars' roster at the start of training camp consisted of Darnell Savage and third-round pick Caleb Ransaw. But Savage was released after Week 2 and has since earned a role with the Washington Commanders, while Ransaw was lost to a foot injury during training camp and won't make his debut until next season.

Travis Register-Imagn Images

"But Kahlef [S Kahlef Hailassie] and [DB] Rayuan Lane [III] are back there being able to—Rayuan had a great week of practice as well," Coen said.

"Kahlef still has been getting onboarded within the systems, done a great job staying here late, working through the details, working with Perk [Defensive Backs Coach Anthony Perkins] a ton, so got confidence in those guys and they know what's at stake as well.”

This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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