Hamilton’s Season-Ending Injury Forces Jaguars to Seek Defensive Help

Hamilton was injured in the first half of Jacksonville’s win over the Colts and was carted off. The 29-year-old has been a key part of a defense that leads the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, at 77.4, and yards allowed per carry, at 3.4. The Jaguars have yet to allow a rival to rush for over 56 yards in any game this season.

His 16 tackles include 15 on running plays, and 12 of those came on plays that gained three yards or fewer. Coach Liam Coen praised Hamilton’s ability to handle multiple gaps and disrupt plays, calling him selfless and a strong example for the team.

Jacksonville was already looking for help on the interior before the injury. Potential trade targets mentioned include Cowboys defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia, Colts veteran Grover Stewart, and Cardinals linemen Roy Lopez and Andrew Billings. Other possibilities include Patriots tackle Christian Barmore and Chargers run-stuffer Dalvin Tomlinson.

If the Jaguars do not make a deal, Matt Dickerson and rookie Albert Regis are among the in-house options. Dickerson has served as Hamilton’s backup, while Regis has had limited playing time and has been inactive in recent weeks. Jacksonville could also consider other players already on its defensive line, but the available backups carry more uncertainty than an outside addition.

The trade deadline is approaching, leaving the Jaguars little time to address the injury. Hamilton is expected to miss the remainder of the season, and further testing was scheduled for November 2.