JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars could get quarterback Trevor Lawrence and receiver Christian Kirk back for their regular-season finale at Tennessee, a game that will help determine the AFC South.
Lawrence missed Sunday's 26-0 drubbing of Carolina because of a sprained throwing shoulder, ending a streak of 51 consecutive starts for the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft. Kirk sat out the past four games while recovering from groin surgery.
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Coach Doug Pederson said Monday that Lawrence “is progressing” and “is definitely improving.” He didn't practice last week and was ruled out Friday. Pederson added that they will “see what his limitations might be" Wednesday.
The Jaguars (9-7) expect to open Kirk's 21-day practice window Wednesday and see how much he will be able to do in practice. Kirk was running on the side last week. He injured his groin while making a 26-yard catch on the opening play against Cincinnati on Dec. 4.
“He’s doing well. He's doing really well,” Pederson said. "It was definitely a bad injury for him and obviously bad for our offense, but he’s in a position right now to maybe help us this week. You definitely want your best players on the field this time of year and he’s one of those players for us.”
Kirk has 57 receptions for 787 yards and three touchdowns this season. Kirk is Lawrence's most dependable receiver. His potential return would be timely for Jacksonville, which lost backup receiver and returner Jamal Agnew for the rest of the season with a broken bone in his lower left leg.
The Jaguars also could get fellow receiver Zay Jones back. Jones missed the past two games and eight of the past 14 with knee and then hamstring issues.
Jacksonville could use Lawrence, Kirk and Jones in a win-and-in game against the Titans (5-11) on Sunday. If the Jags win, they would clinch the AFC South for the second consecutive season and earn the No. 4 seed in the conference playoffs.
If they lose, the Houston-Indianapolis winner would secure the South and Jacksonville would have to hope for help to sneak into the playoffs. Pederson's team had lost four in a row before playing turnover-free football against the Panthers and notching the ninth shutout in franchise history.
“Oh, I think it can give a team a lot of confidence and it’s what we needed,” Pederson said. “We needed something to go right for us, and it did. It wasn’t I would say a pretty win. ... It can definitely spark your team at this time.”
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