James Robinson Suffered Heel Injury in Jaguars' Loss to Seahawks, Urban Meyer Says

Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson suffered a bruised heel in Sunday's 31-7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Head coach Urban Meyer told reporters after the game the full extent of the injury remained unclear, though.

Robinson is in the midst of his second NFL season after exceeding expectations as a rookie. So far this season, Robinson has racked up 460 yards and five touchdowns and another 116 yards through the air entering Sunday.

Although Robinson was not selected in the 2020 NFL draft after a standout collegiate career at Illinois State, he quickly established himself as a starter and was one of the best rookies in the NFL last season.

Robinson started all 14 games he appeared in as a rookie, rushing for 1,070 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per carry. He was also effective in the passing game, making 49 catches for 344 yards and three scores.

The Jags struggled mightily as a team in 2020, going just 1-15, but Robinson was one of the few bright spots and established himself as a building block for the future.

With some high draft picks and plenty of money to spend, the Jags made some improvements to their offense around Robinson during the offseason.

In addition to signing wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. in free agency, the Jaguars used the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft on quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the No. 25 overall pick on running back Travis Etienne.

Given how well Robinson played as a rookie, the Etienne pick was something of a surprise, although it gave Jacksonville two explosive options out of the backfield. That selection was rendered moot for the 2021 season when Etienne was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury, however.

If Robinson is forced to miss some time, veteran Carlos Hyde figures to step up and be the primary back in his absence. It could also mean more work for Dare Ogunbowale.

While the Jaguars do possess some solid depth in the backfield, Robinson's versatility and ability to shoulder the bulk of the load will be missed if he lands on the shelf.