Jaguars place DT DaVon Hamilton on the injured reserve

The Jacksonville Jaguars have provided positive updates on the recovery of defensive lineman DaVon Hamilton from a back problem, but officially ruled him out for at least the first month of the regular season by placing him on the injured reserve Thursday.

Hamilton, 26, is dealing with what the Jaguars have a called a “non-football related medical issue” with his back.

Last week, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters that Hamilton was “doing extremely well” in his recovery and could be back in the team facility soon. On Monday, Pederson confirmed Hamilton was back in the building, and said he’s “happy that he’s healthy and heading into the right direction.”

Prior to the injury, Hamilton appeared primed for a breakout season in 2023. The defensive tackle, who said earlier in the offseason that he was aiming to become a “whole defensive lineman,”  looked the part in a dominant preseason showing against the Dallas Cowboys.

“It’s the way he’s kind of attacked the season and attacked training camp,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said of Hamilton after the game. “It’s really good to see that he can definitely push the pocket from the tackle spot, and it just is what we need. It’s what we need all season long.”

Hamilton recorded a sack in the game and received a stellar 91.8 grade from PFF for his performance. He’s eligible to return from the injured reserve after missing at least four games.