Jaguars Elevate Matthew Wright to Active Roster vs. Titans, Seemingly Ending Battle With Josh Lambo
The Jacksonville Jaguars have seemingly decided on a kicker.
The Jaguars announced Saturday that Matthew Wright would be elevated from the practice squad to the active roster for the second game in a row. Wright kicked for the Jaguars last week as Josh Lambo was inactive, with the duo engaging in a kicking competition this week. Now, it looks as if Wright has won that battle.
“It’s close. I’d rather give it one more day, but it’s very close," Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer said about the battle between Wright and Lambo on Friday.
“[Lambo looks] much better, much better confidence-wise. Like I said, we’re all pulling for Lambo. Matt’s done a very good job too, so it’s close. I’ll let [Special Teams Coordinator] Nick [Sorensen] [watch them] and then we’ll have a final meeting this afternoon to decide.”
Meyer also said that if Wright was activated, Lambo would be deactivated in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans. That would mark two games in a row as an inactive for Lambo, who is 0-for-3 on field goals this season and missed two PATs in his last outing in Week 3.
Meyer said throughout this past week that Lambo -- who also missed several practices last week for what the team classified as personal reasons -- has looked improved throughout practice this week. Despite that, Wright got the call up from the practice squad Saturday.
Each team may elevate a maximum of two players each week from its practice squad to its active/inactive list as a 54th or 55th player without the player first terminating his practice squad contract.
Any elevated practice squad player shall automatically revert to the club’s practice squad at 4 p.m. ET on the first business day following such game without being subject to waivers.
A practice squad player may be elevated to a club’s active/inactive list as a 54th or 55th player for a maximum of two regular season or postseason games.
This is the second week in a row the Jaguars have elevated Wright from the practice squad, so this is essentially the last time the Jaguars can play Wright during the regular-season while also stashing him on the practice squad. In short, the Jaguars will now have to decide between him and Lambo for the long-term instead of just kicking the decision down the road another week or so.
"I like Josh Lambo, I like his commitment to being a great player. He’s in a slump right now, but there’s also the reality. The reality is you’ve got to put it through the uprights," Meyer said on Wednesday.
"We are all pulling for him—I can tell you this, the whole team is pulling for him. He’s a great guy that works his you-know-what off.”
