JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars continue to wait and see.
That has been the case with injured players entering several weekends thus far during the 2015 season, and it is again the case regarding three key players this week.
Paul Posluszny. Julius Thomas. Sen'Derrick Marks.
All were listed as questionable on the Friday injury report, with Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley addressing the statuses of all three at his final media availability of the week Friday.
"With Poz, we'll just check and see how he comes out of it today, tomorrow and Sunday," Bradley said as the Jaguars (1-3) prepared to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3) at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Sunday at 1 p.m.
"We'll be patient with that and see."
Posluszny, the Jaguars' starting middle linebacker, sustained a high-ankle sprain against the Colts Sunday and has not practiced since. Bradley has said throughout the week Posluszny could be a game-time decision.
"We bank on his experience if he's ready to go," Bradley said of Posluszny.
Marks, the team's starting three-technique defensive tackle and the Jaguars' sacks leader last season, has yet to play this season after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery in January. He worked limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday, taking extensive repetitions in contact work Wednesday and getting his most extensive practice work of the season.
Thomas, a tight end who signed as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, hasn't played since sustaining a hand injury in the preseason opener. He also worked limited this week, catching passes in team work.
"Again, I think it's how fast they progress," Bradley said of Thomas and Marks. "We've seen progress. To put a timeline on it … it's hard because every day is different, but we're hoping."
Marks, Thomas and Posluszny were the only players listed as questionable by the Jaguars entering the weekend, with safety Sergio Brown (calf), defensive end Chris Clemons (knee), cornerback Aaron Colvin (shoulder), cornerback Davon House (illness), wide receiver Allen Hurns (ankle/thigh) and tight end Marcedes Lewis (knee) listed as probable.
Brown missed last Sunday's game against the Colts with the injury, while all other "probable" players played Sunday.
"He's done pretty good," Bradley said of Brown's week.
Safety James Sample (shoulder) was listed as doubtful for Sunday, while wide receiver Marqise Lee (hamstring), linebacker John Lotulelei (concussion) and running back Denard Robinson (knee) were ruled out.
Rookie Thurston Armbrister will make his first NFL start at middle linebacker if Posluszny doesn't play, with Bradley saying the undrafted free agent has done well in practice this week.
"I think what benefited him this week was all the reps he got," Bradley said of Armbrister, who played the second half against the Colts last week in place of Posluszny.
As the middle linebacker, Armbrister is responsible for defensive playcalling. As is the case with Posluszny, Armbrister would wear a speaker in his helmet on game day to receive defensive signals from coaches. He said he and Posluszny watched film extensively together this week.
"He's been taking me under his wing," Armbrister said. "He's been helping me out mentally."
Bradley said with the injuries to Posluszny and Lotulelei, a roster move could be made to activate Jordan Tripp from the practice squad.
"He got reps this week," Bradley said. "We'll wait and see what happens with Poz, I think that will have a big bearing on it. But we'll see."
Bradley called Friday's walkthrough "crisp."
"I really liked this week as far as the attention to detail and those concepts, but the ownership of it, the ownership of our mentality going into the game, the ownership of the game plan going into the game …" Bradley said. "So, three really good days of practice, so we'll see how it pans out."
