Jaguars linebacker James Onwualu will miss the season because of a knee injury, leaving the team pretty thin at that position as the preseason begins on Thursday, Michael DiRocco of ESPN reports.
Coach Doug Marrone called the injury that Onwualu suffered on Monday during joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens significant, but declined to elaborate on its exact nature. Onwualu was listed as the co-starter with Leon Jacobs at strongside linebacker on the team’s first unofficial depth chart.
“It’s something that was a non-contact injury for the guys that have seen it and those are tough,” Marrone said. “And he’s worked his butt off, and worked really hard, and I saw him yesterday afterwards and it’s just a tough situation. You thank the player for everything he put in, but you kind of know what the road looks like ahead, which is always a tough road for anyone that has an injury.”