Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Jags injury bug moved from WRs to CBs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars coach Gus Bradley compared the team’s current injury situation at cornerback to what they went through with the receivers during OTAs, minicamp, training camp and the first part of the regular season.

 He’s correct from the standpoint that sometimes a certain position group -- often for no reason at all other than bad luck -- can be hit by injuries to multiple players at the same time. But what the Jaguars are dealing with this Sunday against the Miami Dolphins has the potential to be much worse than what happened with the receivers.

At least when Cecil Shorts and Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson were hurt, the Jaguars had enough players at the position to somewhat offset the losses. Mike Brown and Kerry Taylor had played in the offense last season. Plus, tight end Marcedes Lewis was healthy then and could be a big part of the passing game.

But with the corners, the options are much more limited. With Alan Ball (biceps) out and Dwayne Gratz (hip flexor) questionable, the Jaguars have just three healthy cornerbacks: Demetrius McCray, Jeremy Harris and Will Blackmon. McCray has started the past three games at left cornerback after Gratz was benched because of poor play earlier in the season. Blackmon is the Jaguars’ nickel corner and lines up on the slot receiver. Harris missed the 2013 season with a back injury and has been inactive for three games this season.

If Gratz is unable to play, the Jaguars will start McCray at left cornerback and Harris at right cornerback. Both were seventh-round draft picks in 2013. That’s not ideal against the Dolphins, who have one of the best deep threats in the NFL in receiver Mike Wallace. The Dolphins’ passing offense hasn’t been explosive so far this season -- just 14 passes of 20 or more yards -- but it's logical to expect quarterback Ryan Tannehill will go after Harris.

Ball’s biceps injury doesn’t appear to be season-ending and Gratz’s injury doesn’t appear to be serious enough to keep him out longer than a week. There is still a chance that Gratz will be able to play on Sunday. He’s going to rest his hip on Saturday and test it on Sunday morning.

"That’s the plan as of right now,” he said. “See how it goes tomorrow and then on game day we’ll work it out and then go from there.

"We’re being smart about it and doing the right thing."

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