The Jacksonville Jaguars made just a few roster tweaks through the offseason however saved collectively most of their 9-8 staff from final yr.
Listed below are three key place battles to observe when coaching camp opens on July 19.
Backup quarterback
Projected backup: C.J. Beathard
Participant to observe: Mac Jones
Trevor Lawrence is the unquestioned starter, and with the Jaguars investing $275M in him, the hope is that they by no means should see the backup quarterback on the sphere. However the wrinkle on this state of affairs is among the guys competing for the No. 2 job, 25-year-old Mac Jones, is in search of a clear slate to revive his profession, whereas 30-year-old C.J. Beathard is a profession backup and can doubtless be nothing extra.
It will appear Jones has extra incentive to point out out in coaching camp and the preseason in hopes of incomes one other contract some other place, however there’s a cause Beathard has been largely unchallenged for the Jags’ backup spot for the final three seasons. Coaching camp may very well be make-or-break for Jones’ possibilities of ever being a starter once more.
Broad receiver
Projected starter: Christian Kirk
Participant to observe: Gabriel Davis, Brian Thomas Jr., Devin Duvernay
With Calvin Ridley now in Tennessee, Jacksonville wants to search out Kirk’s complement on the opposite aspect. Davis was a big-play receiver in Buffalo who scored a number of touchdowns, however he would disappear for stretches and there’s a cause the Payments didn’t attempt to re-sign him in free company.
Thomas Jr. was the Jaguars’ first-round decide in April, and he was the highest landing scorer in faculty soccer final season (he had 17 TDs at LSU in 2023.) He’s additionally acquired the scale (he’s 6-foot-4) to be a Plaxico Burress-type of jump-ball WR who wins a number of contested catches.
I additionally wouldn’t rely Duvernay out on this state of affairs both. Sure, he had simply 4 receptions in 13 video games final season, however within the three years prior, he averaged near 40 targets a season and he may very well be a sneaky No. 3 possibility for the Jaguars.
Offensive sort out
Projected starter: Cam Robinson
Gamers to observe: Walker Little, Anton Harrison
Robinson and Little break up equal time at left sort out final season with the previous lacking the start of the yr attributable to a suspension. They had been each stable however Robinson allowed yet another sack and Little allowed extra pressures and hurries, per Professional Soccer Focus.
Harrison appears to be a lock to begin at proper sort out, the place he performed all of final season, leaving Little and Robinson to battle it out on the left aspect. If all issues are equal, Little has a cap hit of simply $2.45M whereas Robinson prices them $21.9M towards the cap. Nobody would blame Jacksonville for slicing or buying and selling Robinson to save lots of a bit of over $17M and journey it out with the youthful and cheaper Little at left sort out.
