The Jacksonville Jaguars missed Devin Lloyd in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The fourth-year linebacker is dealing with a calf injury and didn't make the trip to London. The hope was that he would be back for the Week 9 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Based on head coach Liam Coen's latest comments, though, Lloyd's injury may be more severe than originally thought.
The Jaguars are taking the safe route with Devin Lloyd
Liam Coen met with the local media following the humiliating 35-7 loss to the Rams. He provided an injury update for Liam Coen, noting that he may not be available for the Raiders game after the team's BYE in Week 8.
"It's still TBD [To Be Discussed] on this week," Coen told the media when asked for an update on Lloyd (8:11). "You know, hopeful, but we're trying to be also smart with figuring out, okay, what's the best to get him feeling as good as he can to go play at a highest level."
Lloyd suffered a calf injury early in the Week 6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He returned for the game but underwent further testing in the aftermath and missed the London bout.
In Lloyd's absence, Ventrell Miller got the start at linebacker next to Foyesade Oluokun. The 2023 fourth-round pick fared well, registering five total tackles and posting a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 69.7. However, Jacksonville surely missed Lloyd's big-play capability.
The former Uta Ute was having a banner season before the injury, registering a team-best five takeaways, including a pick-six in the win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Jaguars need Devin Lloyd back if they want to turn things around
The Jaguars' ability to create takeaways masked just how inefficient their defense was. As soon as the well dried, their weaknesses were exposed. They have trouble defending their back end, and their pass rush has had a hard time pressuring opposing quarterbacks in recent weeks.
That's why Jacksonville needs Devin Lloyd back in the fold as soon as possible, even though Ventrell Miller is a capable fill-in. Sure, he alone won't fix the team's defensive woes. Heck, you could make the case that bolstering the pass rush would take care of that. However, Lloyd would give Anthony Campanile's unit a boost, and based on Liam Coen's comments, that may not happen soon.
There's still a chance that the Jaguars will get Devin Lloyd sooner rather than later, but if he misses extended time, it will be hard to steer the ship in the right direction without him.