Austen

Lane

Lane will be placed on injured reserve, ending his season. The 2010 fifth-rounder was a situational pass rusher behind Matt Roth and Jeremy Mincey this season. His snaps were likely going to decrease with Aaron Kampman returning. Lane should be back to battle for a roster spot in 2012.

Jags defensive line coach Joe Cullen envisions Lane going “from a sack, sack-and-a-half to getting six, seven sacks” if all goes as planned. Lane appeared in just six games last season, before suffering a significant shoulder injury. Now cleared to play by Dr. James Andrews, Lane will compete for playing time at left defensive end.

Lane was penciled in as the Jags starting left end. His absence will give second-round rookie Andre Branch and George Selvie a chance to close ground.

Austen Lane saw the majority of the first-team reps opposite Jeremy Mincey prior to this week’s minicamp. Branch is fully expected to play in nickel packages as a rookie. If he improves as a run defender this summer, he could displace Lane on early downs as well.

Position coach Joe Cullen recently said he’s expecting “six, seven sacks” from Lane this season. He’s getting the first shot at the starting job opposite Jeremy Mincey, but second-round pick Andre Branch, who figures to play a significant role regardless, will be on his heels. George Selvie is also in the mix.

Lane’s sprain is worse than anticipated. Originally scheduled to return in mid-August, the projected starting left end is now targeting early September. Expect a rotation with impressive second-round rookie Andre Branch.

With Lane out, newly acquired DE Jason Babin could get the start in his Jaguars debut. Coach Mike Mularkey was noncommittal on Babin’s role. “We just have to make sure he’s on board with the calls and [stunts]. I don’t have a concern with that,” Mularkey said. Babin notoriously struggled to produce fantasy relevant numbers with the Eagles this season. Despite the change of scenery, it’s tough to trust him in IDP leagues.

Lane opened camp as the starter at left end, but missed the preseason and the first two regular season games. He’ll return as a backup to Jeremy Mincey and rookie Andre Branch.

Branch, a second-round rookie out of Clemson, had six tackles and no sacks in the first five weeks. He’ll now play behind Austen Lane, a former fifth-round pick that has two sacks in 19 career games. The 1-4 Jags are grasping at straws as they come out of the bye.

A fifth-round pick of the Jags in 2010, Lane managed just three sacks in his three seasons. He was buried on a defensive end depth chart that included Tyson Alualu, Jason Babin, Jeremy Mincey and Andre Branch. Wilson was an undrafted rookie out of Vanderbilt.