Injuries Hurt Ex-Cal Stars Ashtyn Davis, DeSean Jackson in NFL Week 4

Injuries are likely to have a significant impact on several former Cal players in this week's NFL games, and three ex-Golden Bears will be affected directly.

--It has been a disappointing start to the 2020 season for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson, and it won't get any better this week because the former Cal wideout has been declared out for Sunday's game against the 49ers because of a hamstring injury.

He had 10 catches for 121 yards and no touchdowns in the first three games. The 33-year-old Jackson played just three games in 2019 before missing the rest of the game with a core muscle injury that eventually required surgery.

--New York Jets rookie safety Ashtyn Davis got his first NFL start in the second game of the season, but he did not play at all in the third game or in Thursday's loss to the Broncos because of a groin injury.

No details are available regarding the severity of the injury, but it is troublesome because it was a groin injury that limited Davis' playing time over the second half of his 2019 season at Cal and eventually led to surgery that caused him to miss the Redbox Bowl and the NFL Combine.

--Altanta Falcons rookie safety Jaylinn Hawkins got significant playing time last week because of injuries to the Atlanta secondary, and he might be in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Green Bay Packers as a result of further injuries.

Both of Atlanta's first-string safeties -- Keanu Neal (hamstring) and Ricardo Allen (elbow) -- did not participate in practice either Thursday or Friday.

Hawkins played 24 snaps (29% of the defensive plays) in the loss to the Chicago Bears. Hawkins had three tackles against the Bears but was also hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Unless one or both of Atlanta's starting safeties make a speedy recovery, Hawkins is likely to get a lot of snaps on Monday. And he will be facing a hot quarterback in the Packers' Aaron Rodgers, a former Cal star who is third in the NFL in passer rating and second in total adjusted quarterback rating.

Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

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