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DaVon Hamilton's playing status will be a 'week-to-week' decision says Jaguars' Pederson
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- DaVon Hamilton's playing status will be a 'week-to-week' decision says Jaguars' Pederson
DaVon Hamilton is going to take a bit of time to return to form.
On Sunday, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson made the decision to sit the veteran defensive tackle against the Tennessee Titans , making him a healthy scratch for the first time in his four-year career.
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Hamilton recently returned to play after sitting out for 10 weeks due to a medical issue with his back suffered during the preseason.
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Hamilton signed a three-year contract worth a reported $34.5 million over the course of the deal, locking him down to Jacksonville through at least the 2026 season.
After sitting out the first seven games of the season, Hamilton returned, making his debut in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers . He played just 14 snaps, recording no statistics. Hamilton suited up again in Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers .
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Still, he played just 16 snaps even after a week of rest during the bye week. He recorded just one tackle assist.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris (95) defensive end Adam Gotsis (96), defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton (52) and head coach Doug Pederson take to the field before an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-3. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
After the Jaguars' 34-14 win over the Titans, Pederson explained why Hamilton was a healthy scratch, noting that he and the defensive tackle have had some conversations, but he wants to make sure he is ready to go.
"I just want to make sure that he is mentally and physically ready to go. As you guys know, we're not going to put somebody out there to risk anything further, and it was the decision by me to just hold him one week, see where he's at, get him more practice time, get him more reps, get him back to where he was a year ago," Pederson said, also noting that Hamilton did not suffer a setback.
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"You have to understand, he's missed a lot of time. I think it's definitely taken a toll a little bit, but he's busted his tail to be in a position to help us. I think it's going to be a week-to-week decision, but he understands where we are, and he appreciated that, and we'll see where he's at again this week."
In Hamilton's place, the Jaguars have utilized a multitude of players, including veteran Angelo Blackson and rookie Tyler Lacy . Veteran DL Adam Gotsis has also taken on a larger role within Jacksonville's defense and recorded a tackle and a quarterback hit in the team's win over Tennessee.
Over the last three seasons, Hamilton has accounted for 28 starts, 133 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, one forced fumble and 4.5 sacks. His ceiling is high, but it's going to take some time before that's realized again.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Doug Pederson explains DaVon Hamilton being a healthy scratch
