The Jacksonville Jaguars received unfortunate news following their 42-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Star defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton reportedly suffered a torn quad, per NFL Network.
Pending further tests that Hamilton will undergo Monday, his injury could likely keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season. During the Jaguars win, Hamilton was carted off in the second quarter and did not return. Now, his injury appears to be season-ending.
Hamilton was a pivotal part of the Jaguars’ talented run defense. This season marks the final year of his rookie contract worth $34.5 million; the Jaguars will now have to find someone to fill his shoes. Through seven regular season games, Hamilton recorded 16 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and half a sack.
Aside from Hamilton’s impressive numbers, he’s also contributed to the Jaguars’ strong run-defense. Jacksonville leads the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game with 77.4 and sits second, right behind the Minnesota Vikings, in points allowed with 15.9.
“We’re going to have guys that need to step up. We know what type of role D-Ham plays on our defense, and so the next person up has big shoes to fill, but there’s no disbelief that they can’t get the job done. We just have to keep going,” Jaguars’ Josh Hines-Allen said after the win.
Where does Jacksonville go from here? With the NFL trade deadline approaching on Nov. 10, the Jaguars could start making calls for a skilled defensive tackle to fill Hamilton’s shoes. Especially as the Jaguars sit in first in the AFC South with a 5-2 overall record – and were already searching for help on the defensive line before the deadline – finding a suitable replacement for Hamilton is going to be required as the rest of the season unfolds.
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