The Jacksonville Jaguars just dropped their first injury report of the season. One look at it should make them feel good about their odds against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1.
Cornerback Montaric Brown, offensive guard Wyatt Milum, and offensive tackle Cole Van Lanen were listed as limited Wednesday ahead of the Panthers game.
No surprises on the #jaguars first injury report of Week 1 ahead of #CARvsJAX
CB Montaric Brown DNP (ankle)
G Wyatt Milum DNP (knee)
T Cole Van Lanen Limited (shoulder)#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/UQ7N8WT1uV
— J.P. Shadrick (@jpshadrick) September 3, 2025
This doesn't come as a surprise when you take into account that all three missed training camp and the preseason. On the other hand, it's good to know that they practice, even if it wasn't at full strength. That means that they should be back in the fold sooner rather than later.
On the Carolina sideline, guard Ikem Ekwonu sat out Wednesday practice with an illness, while offensive guard Damien Lewis was listed as limited with shoulder and ankle injuries. Offensive lineman Robert Hunter also popped up on the injury report with a limited designation.
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Why the Jaguars will be fine without Montaric Brown, Wyatt Milum, and Cole Van Lanen
Cole Van Lanen suffered a shoulder injury early in training camp that forced him to miss the preseason. The Jags may want to err on the side of caution and keep him out until his 100 percent. Once he's back, the former Wisconsin Beaver could be the primary swing tackle, but during his absence, free-agent acquisition can take on that role.
Montaric Brown, for his part, has been out with a leg injury dating back to training camp as well. Before he got hurt, he was making a strong push for a featured role, and Jacksonville struggled to find an adequate replacement. Levi Wallace signed ahead of the preseason but landed on the Injured Reserve list not long after.
The silver lining is that the Jaguars can overcome Brown's absence due to the presence of Travis Hunter, Tyson Campbell, Jarrian Jones, and Jourdan Lewis.
On the other hand, not having Wyatt Milum for the Panthers won't be a big blow for the Jaguars. The 2025 third-round pick was expected to start at some point in the season, but Ezra Cleveland has managed to hold his own, so there's no need to thrust him into action right now.
Ultimately, the Jaguars didn't expect the players who could potentially miss the opener to have a big impact against the Panthers. If the final injury report doesn't change, they'll be in a good position to get their first win of the season in Week 1.
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