Jaguars vs. Colts: Marvin Jones, Foley Fatukasi Join Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines As Out
The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without two key players vs. the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6, while the Colts announced a pair of important injury updates of their own.
The Jaguars announced Saturday wide receiver Marvin Jones (hamstring) and defensive lineman Foley Fatukasi (quadricep) would miss Sunday's AFC South battle. The Colts also announced starting running back Jonathan Taylor and backup running back Nyheim Hines would not play.
The Jaguars signed Fatukasi to a three-year, $30 million deal with $20 million in guaranteed money. A former sixth-round selection out of UConn, Fatukasi has established himself as one of the league's top run-defending defensive tackles over the last few years, while also recording a career-high 16 pressures last season.
Fatukasi started the first four games of the season and played 37% of the defensive snaps before sustaining an injury in Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Fatukasi, who has four tackles and two pass-deflections this season, has not played since, missing last week and now Week 6.
In Fatukasi's place, the Jaguars will likely deploy both Adam Gotsis and Corey Peters. The Colts' running game won't be quite as dangerous as it could have been, but Fatukasi is still a key piece of Jacksonville's front-seven.
"Anytime you can have all your guys together, it’s always big. We had Corey step up last week, did a great job for us," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said on Thursday. "Once you get Foley back and other guys, it’s just more pieces that you have out there that makes us better.”
As for Jones, who caught seven passes for a season-high 104 yards in Week 5, the Jaguars are now without a key offensive starter who quarterback Trevor Lawrence trusts and has a rapport with.
Jones has caught 18 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown this season, the second-most yards among all offensive players.
“He’s awesome. We clicked early on when I came in last year, and we’ve had a really good relationship since then," Lawrence said this week.
"I can see how he’s always been a huge part of the offense he’s in, especially the last few years, especially with us last season. We struggled to get things going, and he was always a guy I could rely on and did a great job.
"Then to see early on this season, didn’t quite get as many catches or as many touches as probably he would’ve liked. Obviously, everybody wants the ball, but just the way he came to work every day, never said anything, never complained, had a smile on his face, just worked, and obviously he had a big game this past game. For him, obviously, he’d rather win the game. That says a lot about him, just the way he carries himself, and we’ve got a lot of guys that are selfless like that. The most important thing is winning the game, and guys aren’t happy unless we win, even if they had 100 yards or whatever it may be, and I think you need a room full of guys like that, and he does a great job.”
The Jaguars also announced they have elevated linebacker Ty Summers to the active roster.
