How Major Injury News Impacts Jaguars in Week 1

The Jacksonville Jaguars have received a number of breaks leading up to their Week 1 battle against the Carolina Panthers, and it looks like another might be on the horizon.

Panthers starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu reportedly recently underwent an appendectomy, which could toss his Week 1 status into question.

Panthers Concerned

“We've seen these things turn around in a little over a week, but it could be longer,” Panthers head coach Dave Canales said. “It just depends on each individual body and how your body heals. ... That is something we have to keep an eye on."

Ekwonu, the Panthers' first-round pick out of North Carolina State in 2022, has started 49-of-51 games over the last three years. With Ekwonu potentially questionable for the Week 1 contest, the Jaguars' defensive end duo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker could have an edge for the opening contest.

The Jaguars put a large focus on rebuilding their edge depth this offseason, and it it could come into play in a big way to start the season for the Jaguars' new regime.

Hines-Allen and Walker lead the Jaguars' pass-rush, and now they are supported by veteran pass-rusher's Dawuane Smoot and Emmanuel Ogbah, in addition to undrafted free agent pass-rushers BJ Green and Danny Striggow.

Jun 11, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) during minicamp at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

In addition, the Jaguars also have hybrid linebacker/pass-rusher Dennis Gardeck who was added earlier this offseason as a free agent. Altogether, it is one of the Jaguars' deepest position groups and now they have an advantage up their sleeves.

"You talk about the basketball team of the wide receiver group being different genres, sometimes it's pretty cool to look at how a position is constructed in that at the defensive end position, we have two guys that were top 10 picks. We didn't draft anybody," Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said last week.

"We ended up signing a few guys as undrafted college free agents, two of which end up making the 53-man roster as rookies. Then you've got two veteran presence in [DL] Emmanuel Ogbah and [DE] Dawuane Smoot, who we signed after the draft. So it's a makeup of a room that is coming from all different forms of acquisition, and it's pretty cool to see that take shape and people earn their ops and earn their place.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker (44) puts on his helmet during an NFL training camp session at the Miller Electric Center, Friday, July 25, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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