Jacksonville Jaguars News & Rumors

Jacksonville crushed AFC South rival Houston to open the season on Sunday, but if the Jaguars are going to continue to thrive in 2017, they’ll have to do it without their top wide receiver. The team confirmed Monday that Allen Robinson suffered a torn ACL in his left knee Sunday and will miss the remainder of the season, per the Associated Press.

This seemed like the probable outcome for Robinson after he went down with a non-contact injury in the first quarter against the Texans and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game. While the Robinson-less Jaguars still managed to coast to a 29-7 victory, having to make do without him for the remainder of the year will be a tall order.

Robinson posted at least 73 catches, 151 targets, 883 yards and six touchdowns in each of the previous two years, for one, and the Jags’ receiving corps already took a hit earlier this month when they placed rookie fourth-round pick Dede Westbrook on injured reserve. They’re now down to Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns, the latter of whom has fallen out of favor since last season, as their top options in a passing game that doesn’t inspire much confidence with Blake Bortles at the helm.

The 24-year-old Robinson, meanwhile, may have played his final game as a member of the Jaguars. The 2014 second-round pick is scheduled to hit free agency after the season and could’ve made a case for a monster contract with another big year. Instead, thanks to his knee injury, he’ll enter the offseason in a less-than-ideal position.

Jaguars wideout Allen Robinson suffered a “significant” knee injury during today’s game against the Texans, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), and Jacksonville fears Robinson has a torn ACL, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The Jaguars have now officially confirmed that Robinson has an ACL injury to his left knee, and head coach Doug Marrone will provide a further update on Monday.

While details are slim as of yet, Robinson went down early with a non-contact injury, struggled to make it to the sideline, and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of today’s contest. While further test results will surely leak out, an ACL injury appeared to be the most obvious diagnosis.

Jacksonville already lost one wideout prior to the season, as the club placed rookie pass-catcher Dede Westbrook on injured reserve with a “core” injury. But the absence of Robinson — clearly Jacksonville’s most talented wide receiver — would represent a much more serious loss. Even in a down 2016, Robinson posted 73 receptions and six scores, while he managed 80 catches, 1,400 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdown receptions the year prior.

Without Robinson, the Jaguars would turn to Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns as their top two wide receivers, with Arrelious Benn and Keelan Cole available behind that duo. Amba Etta-Tawo, currently on Jacksonville’s practice squad, could be promoted, while the Jags could also consider a free agent. Players such as Victor Cruz (whom the Jaguars hosted earlier this year), Vincent Jackson, Stevie Johnson, and Marquess Wilson are among the options available on the open market.

Alternatively, Jacksonville could lean even more heavily on the running game, something they did in today’s victory over the Texans. Rookie running back Leonard Fournette handled 26 carries on Sunday, while backup Chris Ivory rushed nine times. Quarterback Blake Bortles attempted only 21 passes, but the Jaguars had the benefit of leading early versus Houston.

Robinson’s injury could also have an unfortunate impact on any potential extension negotiations. The 24-year-old Robinson is scheduled to become a free agent next spring, and while he’s discussed a long-term deal with the Jaguars, nothing has been signed. If he’s out for the rest of the year, Robinson will hit the open market with an uncertain medical history, possibly forcing him into accepting a short-term pact.