Jaguars' Liam Coen Offers Troubling Update on Arik Armstead

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had plenty of questions about their defensive tackle room since the offseason began, and it seems like another major one is stacking up.

When training camp started two weeks ago, the Jaguars began without two key pieces: Maason Smith has been on the PUP list since the day before camp began, while it has been a different story for veteran defensive tackle Arik Armstead.

For roughly the first half of training camp, Armstead went through individual drills but did not perform in team drills. Last Friday ahead of the team;s stadium scrimmage at EverBank Stadium, the team listed Armstead as day-to-day with a lower back injury.

Since then, Armstead has been sidelined for the Jaguars in totality. After double-digit days of camp, the question now is when the Jaguars' most important interior defender will return.

“I mean, he's a veteran who, ultimately, he'll probably know how to get himself ready to go. I would hope. The key is just making sure that he's healthy and ready to go for the first game, and, ultimately, it's a long season as we know," Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said on Tuesday.

"Now not to say that early ones aren't obviously as important as late ones, but it is a long season, and we're really just trying to get him to be as healthy as possible.”

The fact that the question of his availability for Week 1 is now a topic is a considerable and troubling update for the Jaguars and Armstead. While it remains to be seen just how close Armstead could be to missing week 1, Coen did not have a definite answer as of Tuesday.

“I would think so. I would think so. It's hard for me to say right now, though,"

Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile was asked last week about Armstead and noted that, while he is a veteran, it is still advantageous for the Jaguars and for Armstead for him to return to the field soon than later.

“I think everybody, we all need the work out there, playing, but as soon as he gets out there, it's going to be a big help to us. So, we're excited about getting Arik back out there for sure," he said.