Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins carted off with ankle injury

The Jaguars will be without one of its top defensive starters for the rest of today’s contest against the Houston Texans after safety Rayshawn Jenkins was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury.

The injury occurred with less than two minutes remaining in the first quarter as the Texans returned a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The Jaguars are currently trailing the Texans 14-3 in a battle between two 2-11 teams.

Jenkins was seen riving in pain on the ground for several minutes while being attended to by trainers. He would later be carted off the field with something around his injured ankle. He would be immediately ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

Jenkins, a fifth-year veteran, was signed during the offseason as one of the team’s top free-agent signees. He has started all 13 games for the team this year. He accounted for 73 combined tackles (56 solos), one tackle for loss and a QB hit. He added three pass breakups. Jenkins played for the Los Angeles Chargers over the past four years of the season.

For Jacksonville, they’ll be losing one of their key players and captains, one of seven named by former Jaguars HC Urban Meyer at the start of the season. Now they’ll turn to second-year safety Daniel Thomas likely for the remainder of the season if Jenkins’ season is indeed over.

The Jaguars have another option at safety, too, a second-round pick in safety Andre Cisco. Cisco could see more snaps as the season goes on as a result of Jenkins’ injury.