Mekari's Back Surgery, IR Hits, and a MASH-Unit Injury Report Cast a Cloud Over Jaguars' Super Bowl Push

The Jacksonville Jaguars wrapped up preseason Week 2 with an ugly 34-17 home loss to the Carolina Panthers, but the scoreboard was the least of head coach Liam Coen's worries. The real story out of EverBank Stadium was the mounting injury toll that threatens to undercut a franchise arriving in 2026 riding a 13-4 regular season and a plus-8.1 point differential.

The headline blow landed during the team's joint-practice week with Carolina: starting right guard Patrick Mekari reportedly underwent back surgery and will miss a significant chunk of the regular season. Mekari, the anchor of Jacksonville's interior, was a stabilizing presence up front in 2025. Losing him now is the last thing an offense that allowed quarterback Trevor Lawrence to absorb 42 sacks last year needed. Lawrence still managed 4,214 yards and 32 touchdowns through the air, but his protection is about to get a shakeup.

Compounding the issue, the depth chart shows a grim picture behind the line. Backup center Sam Mustipher is on injured reserve, and reserve linemen Zach Durfee and Garrett DiGiorgio have joined him there. The plan to rotate starters against Carolina hit a brutal roadblock when a rash of injuries forced the coaching staff to hold multiple regulars out — a particularly frustrating development given the need for live reps with Lawrence.

There is one bright spot: offensive tackle Walker Little is trending toward a return, which reporters flagged as timely given how thin the line currently stands. And the Mekari news reportedly paves the way for a rising rookie to earn a starting role at right guard — a name to track closely as the Sept. 13 opener against the Cleveland Browns approaches.

The problems don't stop up front. The injury report reads like a triage unit: two-way standout Travis Hunter is battling foot, abdomen, hip, and knee ailments, with multiple practices missed; wide receiver Jakobi Meyers has been tagged questionable with everything from an ankle issue to a concussion; running back Ameer Abdullah has been limited or absent at points; and backup quarterback Nick Mullens is out with a right elbow injury. With Hunter and Meyers both key targets in the passing game, that trio of injuries thins Lawrence's arsenal and the return game at exactly the wrong time.

There's a silver lining: Jacksonville capped the preseason with a 19-0 shutout of the Buccaneers, showing the defense can dominate backups and carry momentum into September. Lawrence's own trajectory is encouraging — over his final five games of 2025 he posted a 110.0 passer rating with an 8.5 percent touchdown rate, suggesting the offense can outscore problems if the line holds up long enough for routes to develop.

None of that changes the reality that Mekari's surgery and the IR hits have reshaped Jacksonville's outlook. Injuries are the great equalizer in the AFC South, and the depth the Jaguars celebrated all training camp will be tested immediately. If the rookie right guard and the shuffled line can keep Lawrence upright, the division race stays wide open. If not, a team with legitimate Super Bowl ambitions could find itself fighting just to protect its franchise quarterback.