JACKSONVILLE – Sunday was difficult for the Jaguars.
Monday wasn't much easier.
Running back Corey Grant and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins will be placed on injured reserve, Head Coach Doug Marrone announced during his Monday media availability at TIAA Bank Field.
"Some people have to step up," Marrone said Monday, a day after the team's 30-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. "Like I've said before, it's part of the game: attrition plays an important role in the NFL."
Grant, the third-team running back and a key player in the offense, sustained a foot injury Sunday and Marrone said Monday he is out for the season. Seferian-Jenkins, the starter in the season's first five games, has been dealing with a core-muscle injury since the start of the regular season.
Marrone said he expects roster moves at the positions.
"It's obvious we have to do that," Marrone said.
Marrone said Seferian-Jenkins will undergo surgery and could return this season. Under NFL rules, two players per team may return from injured reserve each season; players are eligible to return eight weeks after being placed on IR.
"I've always said the best ability is availability, to be available," Marrone said. "We've got some guys we're working on getting back. Hopefully, they'll come back quickly and be ready to play. In the meantime, guys are going to have to step up – not only at their position, but everywhere around him."
Injuries have been a major issue for the Jaguars' offense this season, with wide receiver Marqise Lee and left tackle Cam Robinson out for the season with knee injuries and starting running back Leonard Fournette missing three of the past four games with a hamstring issue.
Marrone was asked if the latest injuries significantly alter what the team can do offensively.
"We're going to see," he said. "When you add and you're missing some key players, you have to play to the strengths of what they can do. It's a challenge for us, but there are other teams that go through those same challenges."
Fournette missed a third game in four weeks Sunday with a hamstring injury sustained in a Week 1 victory over the New York Giants. With Grant out, the Jaguars on Sunday finished the game with two available running backs: fourth-year veteran T.J. Yeldon and first-year veteran Brandon Wilds.
Marrone said the team should get a clearer idea of the status for Fournette and cornerback D.J. Hayden Wednesday when the pair is expected to run and test their injuries. Hayden, the team's nickel cornerback, has missed the last three games with a sprained toe.
Seferian-Jenkins' injury leaves the Jaguars with James O'Shaughnessy and Niles Paul as tight ends on the active roster. First-year veteran David Grinnage has been on the Jaguars' practice squad throughout the season.
Left tackle Josh Wells left Sunday's game in the second quarter with a groin injury. He was starting in place of Robinson, who sustained a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in a Week 2 victory over the New England Patriots.
Marrone said he expects Wells to be "week to week" and that the team may know more about Wells' availability Wednesday. Fourth-year veteran Josh Walker played for Wells Sunday.
"We have some options there," Marrone said of left tackle, saying Walker is one of the options if Wells can't play. "We all have to be ready to go, get ready to play."
Also on Monday Marrone addressed:
*Passing on third-and-1 from the Chiefs three-yard-line in the second quarter. Quarterback Blake Bortles threw incomplete to wide receiver Moncrief in the corner of the end zone on third down before passing incomplete to Seferian-Jenkins on fourth down. "I will never defend something that doesn't work; I can only give you guys the thought process going into it," Marrone said "We knew it would probably be cover zero (man-to-man coverage on all receivers). We thought about going to our heavy personnel grouping and going to goal-line [offense] basically, but we just didn't feel comfortable with that personnel group. We didn't feel that matchup was as good as them going cover-zero and being one-on-one with Moncrief. That's why we made that decision." …
*Yeldon playing 77 snaps compared to Wilds playing three. "We just felt we had a better opportunity to T.J. in there," Marrone said. "The [pass] protection part of it was a big thing. Obviously, it showed up late in the game with Brandon." …
