Jaguars vs. Bengals Injury Report: Dede Westbrook Questionable

The Jacksonville Jaguars released their injury report and game statuses for their Week 7 tilt against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, and the list is made up entirely of offensive skill players.

Wide receiver Marqise Lee (ankle) and tight end Geoff Swaim (concussion protocol, ankle) have each been ruled out, but the status of wide receiver Dede Westbrook, ruled questionable with a shoulder injury, is the most pressing concern heading into Sunday.

#Jaguars Friday injury report for Week 7's game vs. the Bengals. pic.twitter.com/ktQHfzyYg4
— Jaguars OnSI (@JaguarsOnSI) October 18, 2019

Westbrook missed practice on Thursday with the injury and was a limited participant on Friday. He has played 303 snaps (75.19%) this season, tied with DJ Chark for second-most among the Jaguars wide receivers. He has been the team’s primary slot receiver, and if he misses Sunday it would be a big loss for the offense.

But even with Westbrook not practicing fully since Wednesday, Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone said he would still be comfortable with Westbrook taking on his usual responsibilities as long as he is able to actually play.

“I am, I really am,” Marrone said. “He has done a good job, he has worked hard and he is feeling better today. We just wanted to be cautious and see where we are when we get to game day.”

Marrone said Westbrook would not work out before the game. He isn’t sure if Westbrook’s injury is something that was caused in practice or instead occurred last Sunday and is just now starting to affect his third-year receiver.

“I don’t know if it happened actually in practice. I don’t know if it came in after the game and then was one of those kinds of later on you start to feel a little bit.”

Wide receiver Keelan Cole was already going to step in as the team’s primary backup on the perimeter on Sunday due to Lee’s injury, but if Westbrook is out it appears he would be forced into a starting role. C.J. Board, who has been inactive for much of the season, would also see an expanded role if Westbrook is out Sunday.

Westbrook is tied with Leonard Fournette with the second-most receptions on the team this season with 26. He has 280 receiving yards and one touchdown and has five receptions of 20 yards or more.