The Jacksonville Jaguars trounced the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11 and are looking for their second victory in a row when they face the Arizona Cardinals. While they could be without several key players, including Travon Walker, there are several things going in their favor.
To begin with, the Jags played one of their cleanest games of the season against Los Angeles. Aside from tallying just one penalty, they dominated the line of scrimmage. On top of that, their running game was clicking. One reason that wasn't discussed nearly enough was that the team's brass made tweaks across the depth chart.
Before the win over the Chargers, Jacksonville released defensive tackle Khaulen Sanders Sr. Safety Kahled Hailassie got the boot after the game. Moreover, the coaching staff benched players who've underachieved in recent weeks. And with this in mind, here are three Jaguars whose stock is imploding ahead of the Cardinals matchup.
Dyami Brown, Jaguars wide receiver
Dyami Brown didn't do much of note in his first three NFL seasons but caught fire last year. When the Jags gave him a one-year deal worth $10 million, they were expecting the former North Carolina Tar Heel to build off of his strong finish to 2024. Although he got off to a promising start in Duval, he's slowed down considerably in recent weeks.
And as the year progressed, Brown has seen a gradual dip in playing time. This is worrisome when you take into account that even with Travis Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr., he's been sidelined. And when the fifth-year receiver has gotten onto the field, he's been unremarkable.
After the Jags' Bye in Week 11, Brown has only racked up three catches for 25 yards on nine targets even though he's logged 90 offensive snaps. With Thomas expected to return soon, it's hard to see him getting a bigger workload the remainder of the season.
Emmanuel Ogbah, Jaguars defensive end
The Jags had trouble generating pressure throughout the year, but instead of bringing in reinforcements, they made a tweak to their lineup. Emmanuel Ogbah was a healthy scratch against the Chargers, while undrafted rookies Danny Striggow and B.J. Green II got expanded roles.
This doesn't come as a surprise when you take into account that Ogbah's pass-rush win rate of 4.3 percent was among the worst in the NFL. Couple that with the fact that both Striggow and Green flashed, and Ogbah probably won't get much playing time the rest of the way.
Greg Newsome, Jaguars cornerback
Unlike Dyami Brown or Emmanuel Ogbah, cornerback Greg Newsome is still the starter opposite Montaric Brown. However, he hasn't had that much of an impact since Jacksonville swapped him with Tyson Campbell.
Against Los Angeles, Newsome suffered an ankle injury and is listed as questionable for the Cardinals game. Now, injuries are an inherent part of football, and you cannot blame the former Northwestern Wildcat for getting hurt. That said, availability is the best ability in the NFL, and he's not done much to increase his stock in a contract year.