One of the best, most underrated players on one of the best, most underrated teams in the NFL has suffered what appears to be a season-ending injury. Jaguars defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton tore his quad in Sunday's 42-7 win over the Colts, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, a massive blow for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Hamilton is expected to miss the rest of the year, though he'll undergo further testing Monday.
Hamilton, 29, has been a crucial fixture up front for the 5-2 Jaguars. Jacksonville leads the NFL in yards per rush allowed (3.4), rushing yards per game allowed (77.4) and defensive rushing success rate (61.9%). No opponent has run for more than 56 yards against the Jaguars this year.
Hamilton even filled in as an emergency long snapper in a win over the Eagles earlier this year. Hamilton ranks ninth in Pro Football Focus' run defense grades for interior defensive linemen. Of Hamilton's 16 tackles this season, 15 have come on run plays (the other one is a half sack), and 12 have been on plays that gained 3 or fewer yards.
"So important," Liam Coen said in September about Hamilton. He plays the two gap, whatever gap and a half, he can play it all. He can disrupt if he does need to get into the backfield and pierce things. ...
He works his tail off, and there are not many guys that are better examples for what we're hunting up out of a Jaguar than DaVon." Now, though, the Jaguars will be hunting for his replacement. In fact, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Jaguars were already in the market for interior help before Hamilton's injury. Jacksonville does have Arik Armstead, Ruke Orhorhoro, Matt Dickerson and third-round rookie Albert Regis on the interior, but none is nearly as stout against the run as Hamilton.
Here are five options Jacksonville could pursue: It's impossible to tell what Jerry Jones will do at the trade deadline — and really at any point, ever — but he's never been afraid to make a deal. Otito Ogbonnia isn't a flashy name, but he could be exactly what the Jaguars need. Defensive tackles are rarely flashy names, anyway.
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