Jaguars Looking to Use Bye Week to Get Injured Players Back to Full Strength

The Jaguars currently have four players dealing with injuries, but the team hopes a well-timed bye week can help them get back onto the field.

While the big news out of Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone's Tuesday press conference was that veteran quarterback Nick Foles would be his team's starter moving forward, Marrone also updated local media on how the bye week will affect his team's health.

"We believe coming back that everyone that we have on the roster will be healthy, so that’s what we’re looking forward to," Marrone said Tuesday. "And I told the players, ‘Hey, let’s get away a little bit.’ Let’s come back and let’s get focused on Indianapolis.”

Jacksonville had four players miss the team's Week 10 26-3 loss to the Houston Texans due to injury. Wide receiver Dede Westbrook (neck/shoulder) and nickel cornerback D.J. Hayden (neck/shoulder) sat out, while linebackers Quincy Williams (hamstring) and Leon Jacobs (hamstring) have missed the last two games. 

Marrone said each of the players is expected to practice next Monday when players return from the bye week. As for Westbrook, Marrone said he was not close to playing on Sunday despite fighting through injuries in the previous two games. 

“Like I said before, if he was close, he would have gone," Marrone said about Westbrook Tuesday. "He is one of the toughest guys. I said it before, don’t look at his stature, he is one of the toughest guys on this team and he loves football. So, that was never a question. For him not to go hurts him.”

Jacksonville desperately needs Westbrook and Hayden back after the team's lack of wide receiver and defensive back depth was exposed against the Texans. Keelan Cole did well in three-receiver sets, but Chris Conley only caught two passes on seven targets. Simply put, the Jaguars' offense needs Westbrook. 

Breon Borders played 100% of the defensive snaps in place of Hayden on Sunday, which was also his first NFL start. He was picked on by Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and had issues covering tight ends and making a difference in the run game, so Hayden's return will also be welcomed.