Linebacker Myles Jack Placed on Injured Reserve
The Jacksonville Jaguars defense has had a rough year in 2019, and it appears the hits are going to keep coming. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Thursday morning that Myles Jack, Jacksonville's starting middle linebacker, would be placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.
The team later officially announced Jack would land on injured reserve and practice squad linebacker Joe Giles-Harris would take his place on the active roster.
Jack has not practiced as a full participant since Week 13 began, and he missed several snaps in a Week 12 loss to the Tennessee Titans after getting injured. Jack missed the first game of his career in Week 13, sitting out vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Third-year linebacker Donald Payne took his spot at middle linebacker and wore the green dot for the defense, thus serving as its primary communicator.
Before this knee injury, Jack had been an iron man of sorts for the Jaguars since being selected with their second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, playing in each of the first 59 games of his career.
Jack started his career with Jacksonville as a strongside linebacker before becoming the team's inside linebacker in nickel situations in 2017 and then finally the full-time inside linebacker in 2018. He has started 27 games at inside linebacker since the 2018 season began.
Before the first week of the 2019 season, Jacksonville inked Jack to a contract extension, making him one of the highest-paid inside linebackers in the NFL. The four-year contract was worth $57 million with $33 million in guaranteed money.
Since signing the contract, Jack, a defensive captain, has had an up and down season. He was ejected in the first half of the team's Week 1 loss vs. the Kansas City Chiefs for fighting and has since turned in several inconsistent performances, contributing to Jacksonville's defense becoming one of the worst vs. the run in the NFL.
Jack totaled 66 tackles and three tackles for loss in 2019, along with an interception, four pass deflections and 0.5 sacks.
Jack joins Jacksonville's top reserve linebacker Najee Goode on injured reserve, resulting in a depleted linebacker group for the Jaguars. Payne and rookie linebacker Quincy Williams are the expected starters moving forward.
