JACKSONVILLE – A thin position got even thinner Tuesday.
And that means the Jaguars' cornerback position will have a younger starting combination as the 2014 season moved forward.
Veteran Alan Ball, a starter for the Jaguars at right cornerback for the last two seasons, was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, ending his 2014 season after eight games.
Ball, a starter in the first seven games of the season, sustained a biceps injury against the Cleveland Browns in Week 7. He sought a second opinion last week, and said late last week he didn't believe the situation would end his season.
Ball, a seventh-year veteran and a starter in 22 of 24 games since joining the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent in the 2013 offseason, finished the 2014 season with an interception, three passes defensed and 22 tackles. He had two interceptions and 14 passes defensed in 2013, when he started 15 games.
Second-year veterans Dwayne Gratz and Demetrius McCray started against Miami last week with Ball injured. Gratz had opened the season at left corner starting opposite Ball, with McCray taking over that spot after Gratz sustained a concussion in Week 4 at San Diego. McCray had remained the starter after Gratz returned to health.
McCray is expected to start at left cornerback with Gratz starting at right corner.
Jaguars nickel corner Will Blackmon sustained a fractured finger against Miami. That leaves the corner position with Jeremy Harris backing up Gratz and McCray, with rookie Aaron Colvin possibly being activated this week to play the nickel spot.
The Jaguars also could move safety Sherrod Martin to the nickel, and they also have first-year veteran Peyton Thompson available at corner. Thompson was signed from the practice squad Saturday.
The Jaguars on Wednesday also signed Tommie Campbell, a fourth-year cornerback. He was a seventh-round selection by Tennessee in 2011.
