Jacksonville Jaguars Enter Week 7 Bye; Lawrence, Hamilton Lead
JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville Jaguars begin their Week 7 bye on Oct. 22, 2026, sitting 4-2 and in first place in the AFC South. The team published a roundup of quick thoughts by John Oehser, Brian Sexton, Kainani Stevens and John Shipley on Oct. 22, 2026. The writers offered assessments of roster health and areas for improvement as the club pauses in the regular season.
Oehser identified Trevor Lawrence as the offensive MVP entering the bye and noted the quarterback has thrown 14 touchdown passes and four interceptions through six games. He compared those figures to last season, when Lawrence threw 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and said head coach Liam Coen repeatedly praised Lawrence after the Week 6 loss in London. Oehser listed other offensive candidates, including Parker Washington, tight end Brenton Strange and running back Bhayshul Tuten.
On defense, the writers cited multiple possibilities but singled out nose tackle DaVon Hamilton for anchoring the run defense. They credited Hamilton with personifying the Jaguars’ ability to stop the run and said he has played as well as any player at his position this season. The team also named safety Antonio Johnson and linebacker Ventrell Miller as key contributors through six games, while noting the defense must work on limiting explosive plays and generating more timely pressure.
Sexton urged calm after Jacksonville’s 34-31 loss in London to the Houston Texans and cautioned against overreaction to a single defeat. He cited safety Eric Murray’s comments that the season will feature ups and downs and emphasized the need for better execution. Sexton wrote that the Jaguars remain among the AFC’s top clubs and predicted they will be in playoff contention despite difficult upcoming matchups. He also warned against making risky deadline trades, pointing to the Indianapolis Professional Football Team’s trade for Sauce Gardner and its draft consequences.
Stevens said the bye offers a chance to rest injured players and refocus coaches on situational football. She noted that Antonio Johnson and Montaric Brown have been dealing with injuries and that the break should help their recovery. Stevens expects the coaching staff to return to detailed situational work before the Jaguars resume play on Nov. 1 against the Indianapolis Professional Football Team. She also forecast that general manager James Gladstone will pursue roster additions ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline, likely targeting the defense.
Shipley emphasized Lawrence’s momentum, writing that the quarterback has reached a new career pace with 14 touchdown passes through six games. He noted that the 14 touchdown passes mark the first time Lawrence has thrown double-digit touchdowns in the first six weeks of a season. Shipley added that Lawrence led a late comeback in Week 6 and that the passing game is in a strong place. He highlighted the two-way potential of Travis Hunter after the wide receiver/cornerback made game-changing plays on both sides of the ball.
NFL Sports Blog Take
The Jaguars enter the bye with clear strengths and defined areas to address. Trevor Lawrence provides a steady offensive foundation while DaVon Hamilton anchors the run defense. The club should use the break to tend to injuries in the secondary and evaluate depth additions before the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Returning Nov. 1 at the Indianapolis Professional Football Team will offer an early test of whether adjustments made during the bye lead to fewer explosive plays and more consistent pressure.