Jaguars roster moves – Gregory Junior activated from IR

On the eve of the Jacksonville/San Francisco matchup, the Jaguars get a little more depth in the secondary in preseason standout Gregory Junior.

The Jacksonville Jaguars continue to get healthier after the bye week, with the team announcing on Saturday that second-year cornerback Gregory Junior has been activated from injured reserve. Junior was initially placed on IR after week one with a hamstring injury.

Junior, was drafted by Jacksonville in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, out of Ouachita Baptist. This preseason he competed with slot cornerback Tre Herndon for the team’s starting nickel position. While Herndon ultimately won the starting role, Junior’s knack for causing turnovers during training camp and preseason provided a potential opportunity for him to have a role in a few defensive packages – similar to safety Antonio Johnson.

This move was much needed, as the team has been limited with corner depth in the past weeks with Tyson Cambell battling a hamstring injury. The Jaguars currently have six corners on the active roster – Tre Herndon, Tyson Campbell, Darious Williams, Montaric Brown, and Junior. Rookie Christian Braswell was placed on IR and Chris Claybrooks was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list at the beginning of the season.

In a corresponding move, the team also announced the release of fourth-year running back JaMycal Hasty. Hasty, initially signed to a one-year contract before the 2022 season, was signed to a contract extension in February.

In 2022 Hasty appeared in all 17 regular-season games totaling 194 yards and and two touchdowns on 46 carries, plus 20 catches for 126 yards and an additional TD. However, with additional backfield competition this season Hasty has only played 15 snaps across three games total, including special teams. Assuming he clears waivers, the hope for the team would likely be to retain Hasty on the practice squad, if possible. Good news for the home team.