The Sports Xchange

JACKSONVILLE — On the eve of the 2015 Jacksonville Jaguars training camp, one of head coach Gus Bradley’s descriptive phrases of this year’s team was about the better depth, both in terms of quantity and quality.

After two preseason games, that phrase has been tested well beyond its means. The Jaguars have been besieged with injuries during the first two games and while only one player has been placed on injured reserve thus far, the list could start to grow.

The news coming out of the first game wasn’t good as two of the team’s better players, tight end Julius Thomas and safety Johnathan Cyprien both fractured their hand and were ruled out of the three remaining preseason games. Both are established starters and have specific roles on this year’s team.

Thomas was signed to a lucrative five-year, $46.2 million contract to be one the Jaguars’ leading receivers, especially in the red zone where he’ll be on the favorable side of any defender trying to cover his 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame. He was sorely missed last Saturday when the Jaguars were in or close to the red zone in their first three possessions, only to have to settle for a field goal each time.

Cyprien, in just his third season with the Jaguars, has become the leader of the secondary. His fractured finger will be casted and he’ll be ready to play in the regular-season opener, which the Jaguars sorely need after cornerback Demetrius McCray went down with a knee injury in the Giants game.

McCray was one of seven Jaguars players hurt in last week’s game and is probably the most important player of the group that the Jaguars can ill afford to lose. McCray started 12 games for the Jaguars a year ago and has been battling Aaron Colvin for the starting corner spot this season. Both started the season opener against Pittsburgh when the Jaguars opened in a nickel defense. At 6-foot-2, 200, the Jaguars love his size and the way he can overpower receivers. If he’s lost for any length of time (he was scheduled for an MRI on his knee contusion later this week), it would be a blow to the secondary.

“He’s valuable to us,” Bradley said. “His length and also his role on special teams. My hope is that we get him back just because of his value on both defense and special teams.”

The dislocated shoulder to Damian Copeland cost him a roster spot. The team waived/injured Copeland on Monday. Wide receiver Arrelious Benn became the first player placed on injured reserve when the Jaguars designated him as such on Monday. Benn will need surgery to repair a broken collarbone. He had been a consistent performer in training camp and looked to have a roster spot locked down because of his play as well as his role on special teams.

Others hurt in the Giants game included tackle Josh Wells (dislocated thumb while playing on special teams), linebackers LaRoy Reynolds (knee) and Khairi Fortt (knee) and wide receiver Greg Jenkins (high ankle sprain). The loss of Reynolds and Fortt for any length of time could be devastating for the Jaguars who are already thin at the linebacker spot. Reynolds and Fortt were two of the three backups to the starting trio of Telvin Smith, Paul Posluszny and Dan Skuta. That leaves only four healthy players for that unit among the top two linebacker groups before the Jaguars would have to turn to untested, non-drafted players. If Reynolds or Fortt are out for any extended period (both will have MRIs done later this week), look for the Jaguars to turn to released players from other teams to shore up this unit.

The defense appears to be worse off than its offensive counterparts. The Jaguars were already down several key players. Normal starters tackle Roy Miller and end Jared Odrick saw their first action of the season last week after missing parts of training camp and the first preseason game. The Jaguars’ best defensive lineman, Sen’Derrick Marks, isn’t expected to see playing time before the regular-season opener against Carolina as he continues to mend from ACL surgery during the offseason.

Bradley’s belief that this is the deepest team he’s had in his three seasons is being put to the test already. A number of backups will have to step their game up some as they fill in for starters who are now roaming the sidelines. If their role carries over to the regular season, the Jaguars’ chances of making a significant improvement on their two-year win total of seven games, could be impacted.

–The competition for the Jaguars’ starting center spot is over with Stefen Wisniewski emerging the winner in his battle with Luke Bowanko. Head coach Gus Bradley had said that he wanted to name a starter prior to the Detroit game, where the regulars get their longest and final time together prior to the regular-season opener. Bradley admitted it wasn’t an easy decision to make.

“It was a very difficult decision the way Bo was playing because he did a lot of good things,” the Jaguars’ coach said. “I think just for the team’s sake where we’re at, how it felt when we watched and evaluated him, Wis had the edge.

“They are both different in their traits that they have. The experience, there was something to be said about that and what Wis brought to the table, but when he is the sixth guy Bo could play our backup center, he could be a guard, he could be a tackle. It tells you how much we think of him as well.”

Bradley said that Bowanko would get reps at tackle. Backup tackle Josh Wells suffered a dislocated thumb in the New York game and could be limited in his practice time for a while. Bradley likes the flexibility of both Wisniewski and Bowanko.

“We feel like (Bowanko) has some of the skillset to do it (play tackle) but Wis can play guard too for us so I think that the flexibility is good with both.”

Notes: Defensive end Chris Smith had 33 plays against the Giants, most on the team. There are probably 10 players ahead of Smith on the D-line right now, so he needs to have two strong games in the Jaguars’ final preseason games to help his cause. … Kicker Jason Myers continues to make a bid to take the kicking job away from veteran Josh Scobee. Myers converted field-goal attempts from 38, 49 and 55 yards against the Giants. … Linebacker Mister Alexander, a third-year vet from Florida, signed with the Jaguars Monday. … Wide receiver Marqise Lee was ruled out for this week’s game with Detroit (hamstring). … Quarterback Blake Bortles has had the luxury of a consistent offensive line in the first two preseason games. Bortles played with the same five guys all 29 plays in the opener and the same five guys for 30 plays in the second game with the Giants. He was sacked only once in each game.