Head coach Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars stated on Wednesday that Christian Kirk and Trevor Lawrence will be returning to practice after a month-long absence.
After hurting his core muscle on the opening play of Jacksonville's 34-31 overtime defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals on December 4, Kirk has been out with an injury. Following Kirk's four weeks on injured reserve, Pederson announced on Wednesday that the Jaguars had opened the 21-day practice window for him.
Regardless, Kirk ranks third on the squad with 57 receptions for 787 yards. Although there is hope that he will be able to play in Sunday's crucial game against the Tennessee Titans, Pederson assured that the Jaguars will be strategic when reintroducing Kirk to the lineup.
"We don't want any setback, so this will be a slow, gradual process, but it'll be good to get him out there," ESPN reported that Pederson. He's now dealing with day-to-day issues. We need to check up with him by the weekend to see his whereabouts.
In contrast, Lawrence has fought through a slew of ailments before missing a game due to a strained AC joint in his right throwing shoulder. He hasn't thrown much or practiced since hurting himself on December 24 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The extent to which Lawrence can return was mentioned by Pederson. He can't wait to get back to practice and see how his shoulder is doing, the signal caller added.
"It's feeling better," Lawrence murmured. More than others, some motions annoy me. There are certain tasks that I am capable of completing, and there are certain places where my strength is normal and fully effective. There is some discomfort in some postures. I'd want to see it decrease a bit more before I completely let it fly, but it's getting better every day.
Jacksonville's chances of defending its AFC South title and advancing to the playoffs would be greatly enhanced if Kirk and Lawrence were to play against the Titans. The Jaguars may still make the playoffs even if they lose, but it will depend on other teams helping them.
When Jacksonville loses in Nashville, the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans will be right behind it with 9-7 records; the two teams face each other on Sunday.