Jaguars' Lloyd will miss London series with thumb injury; Zay Jones a 'long shot' to play

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson announced Wednesday that linebacker Devin Lloyd will undergo surgery on a fractured thumb later today.

Lloyd, drafted in the first round in the 2022 NFL Draft, injured his right hand during the team's Week 3 loss against the Houston Texans.

He will miss the entire London series, including this week's game against the Atlanta Falcons and the team's Week 5 game against the Buffalo Bills, staying behind in Jacksonville as the team takes the trip across the pond on Thursday.

"Just the nature of his injury," Pederson said of Lloyd. "He's actually one of the players that we're gonna keep back here for the next two weeks. He needs surgery. He had just a couple screws put in his thumb," Pederson said.

Pederson indicated that Lloyd will rehab for a couple of weeks in Jacksonville and the team hopes he will be ready for Week 6 as the team gets set to take on the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium.

Lloyd will likely be in a soft cast, Pederson said.

In his place over the next two weeks of the season will be 2022 third-round selection Chad Muma, who filled in for Lloyd last week for a spell and played extensively during the year last season.

Last year, Muma started two games in Lloyd's place and played 16 total games. He totaled 47 tackles (28 solo tackles), 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hits. He played 286 snaps last year, accounting for 26 percent of the defensive snaps.

Muma has played 20 defensive snaps thus far this season, spelling Lloyd for 19 snaps against the Texans.

"Chad's been doing really well," Pederson said. "We wanted to make sure he continues to develop and play, not hold him back. Getting him in the football game last week obviously was by design. Now, he gets a chance to step up and start and be in the huddle full time, lean on last year a little bit. A young player who we're excited about."

Zay Jones 'a long shot' to play vs. Falcons

Jaguars receiver Zay Jones is "a long shot" to play Sunday vs. the Falcons, Pederson indicated. Jones suffered a knee injury during the team's Week 2 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

"Zay is still kind of day-to-day," Pederson said. "We're gonna see how he works this week. Probably a long shot for the game, but we will see where he's at. He's progressing very nicely."

Jones missed last week's matchup against the Houston Texans. The Jaguars could get him back in Week 5 against the Bills if he is to miss the team's Week 4 game.

Cam Robinson, other Jaguars set to travel to London

While Lloyd will not travel to London with the rest of the team, the Jaguars will bring several players who are slated to make their returns in the next few weeks.

That list includes suspended Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson, who was suspended for the first four games of the season due to a violation of the league's performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) policy.

Last week, Pederson indicated that the team got permission from the league to bring Robinson with the team to London while he serves out the last game of his suspension. He became eligible to participate in meetings and be back in the building following the team's Week 2 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

“His attitude has been great. He’s excited to get back in the building, which he’s allowed to do," Pederson said last Friday. "He can be around the team, he can be in meetings, he just can’t practice. He can’t be out on the practice field or walkthroughs and things of that nature."

Other players who will travel while injured are rookie safety Antonio Johnson (hamstring), defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot (Achilles) and rookie offensive lineman Cooper Hodges (knee).

Smoot began the season on the team's reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list after rupturing his Achilles late last season. He signed a one-year deal worth $3.5 million and $2.25 million in guaranteed salary with the team in July after his two-year deal expired.

Johnson has not played thus far this season after suffering a hamstring injury during the team's Week 2 preseason trip to face the Detroit Lions.

Hodges, drafted in the seventh round of this year's draft, injured his knee during the team's preseason game against the Lions and was placed on IR just after final cuts in August.

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' Lloyd to miss London series, Jones "long shot" vs. Falcons