Jaguars' Suffer Massive Injury Blow

The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered another major loss of its defense with the injury to star linebacker Foye Oluokun that came in Monday night's loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokun talks with media inside the TV Studio of TIAA Bank Field on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Img 9063 2 / Juston Lewis/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Jacksonville Jaguars defensive core is continuing to thin as another key piece has gone down with an injury. Linebacker Foye Oluokun is expected to miss several weeks, dealing with plantar fasciitis, per Tom Pelissero on X, formerly known as Twitter.

#Jaguars standout LB Foye Oluokun is expected to miss several weeks as he deals with plantar fasciitis, per sources.

No surgery needed and not a worst-case scenario. But Jacksonville is 0-3 and now will be without one of its best players for at least a few games. pic.twitter.com/egWiOQxHpp

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 24, 2024

Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition that occurs when the plantar fascia, a ligament that runs from the heel to the toes, becomes inflamed. Essentially, the inflammation of a thick band of tissue, hindering the ability to move comfortably.

No required surgery is a huge blessing for the Jaguars as it will result in Oluokun missing significantly less time and being back on the field in the next few weeks. Head coach, Doug Pederson, gave the defense some good news when being asked if Oluokun would be placed on the Injured Reserve list.

“I don’t think so. Not at this point.” Pederson said on Wednesday.

Oluokun has been one of, if not the best, defensive player for the Jaguars over the last three seasons. He has led the team in tackles the past two seasons, earning a career-high 184 tackles in 2022 and 357 total tackles as a Jaguar. He has also recorded over 100 tackles in each of the last four years.

Already 22 tackles and one sack this season for the seventh-year veteran, Oluokun is a cornerstone piece of this defense that swarms to the ball on every play. He will be a guy that the Jaguars defense needs to return quickly but must monitor his health and avoid rushing back prematurely.

The injury comes at a frustrating time for the Jaguars defense considering they are struggling to keep everyone healthy at the same time but are trending up as one of the team's top safeties is back to action.

 "We should have Savage [S Darnell Savage]  back this week, which will be good.” Pederson said.

Savage was out last week with quad injury but is going to be healthy against the Texans on Sunday. With one player healing and getting back to the field, another goes down with an injury to keep the defensive starting lineup off balance.

The Jaguars are looking for answers on defense after allowing 47 points to the Bills this past Monday and the loss of Oluokun does not help find any solutions. However, it gives an opportunity to second-year linebacker, Ventrell Miller, who will likely now be starting at the outside linebacker position.

“Yes. He’s [LB Ventrell Miller] done really well. He’s got valuable snaps." Pederson said. "Played good the other night, played physical. Obviously, there’s some things we can clean up, but he’s really done a nice job.”

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