The Jaguars’ next step after a devastating injury is clear

For the second year in a row, the Jacksonville Jaguars have lost one of the souls of their offense and locker room.

Wide receiver Christian Kirk was injured in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 30-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers, with the official diagnosis being a broken collarbone, which now puts Kirk on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.

This is the second time in two seasons that Kirk has been lost to a season-ending injury, and it’s the second time the Jaguars have been hit in the gut as a result.

Simply put, the Jaguars are losing more than their starting position receiver. They are the loss of one of the most respected players in their entire organization. One of their fiercest and most reliable leaders.

“He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had, one of the smartest players I’ve had,” Jaguars tight end Evan Engram said in the locker room after the loss.

“One of the best leaders I’ve ever seen. You saw him cut up today too, he rolled, he got going. Just a very unfortunate event. God doesn’t make mistakes, there’s a plan. His will is better. any of us can imagine, so he’ll be fine.”

Where do the Jaguars go from here?

There is no simple answer. Kirk is one of the most reliable pieces of the passing game and has more experience and chemistry with Trevor Lawrence than any pass catcher not named Engram. His absence leaves a void in the offense, especially after some of the big catches he has made in the field this year.

The obvious player who will step up in Kirk’s absence is second-year receiver Parker Washington, who has developed behind Kirk over the past two seasons. Washington was one of the most improved players this season and was a real standout in training camp. He has done a good job when called upon in limited positions in the offense.

The Jaguars could also do what they did against the Packers, which is deploy Engram more in the slot and bring Brenton Strange onto the field as the tight end in the lineup. Brian Thomas Jr.’s health updates and Gabe Davis will also be a crucial part of the equation.

Whatever the Jaguars do on the field, it’s clear the void left by Kirk’s injury will be large. Whether they can continue without him could be the question that will define the second half of the season.

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