The Jacksonville Jaguars released their first unofficial depth chart of 2019 Sunday as they’ll be traveling to Baltimore for joint practices with the Ravens. Of course, it had some surprises all over it but there is plenty of time to see how things will play out this preseason.
Here are four takeaways we felt were worth mentioning on offense:
Gardner Minshew II comes in at No. 2 QB spot
When the Jags drafted Gardner Minshew, most expected him to find his way to the backup quarterback spot and it seems he’s impressed enough to earn a look as Foles’ backup to open the preseason. Dating back to organized team activities and minicamp, Minshew has made strides and those in attendance have raved about his command of the huddle. And while it’s an unofficial depth chart, it appears Doug Marrone may believe Minshew is capable of handling the pressure despite being a rookie and an impressive start could bode very well for Minshew.
Tanner Lee and Alex McGough came in behind Minshew, respectively, which is rather interesting. A lot of the spectators who attended training camp have been on record for saying it may be time to pull the plug on the Lee project, but he does possess all of the physical tools Tom Coughlin covets behind center. However, at some point, the talent has to match those tools, which is why McGough has a chance to leap him if he fares well this week.
Cedric Ogbuehi remains the No. 1 RT, but Jawaan Taylor is on his tracks
As expected, Cedric Ogbuehi came in as the No. 1 right tackle on the unofficial depth chart, but fans shouldn’t put a lot into that. Simply put, many feel second-round pick Jawaan Taylor has looked better and it sounds like it’s only a matter of time before he’s named the No. 1.
Coach Marrone came out to say he prefers his rookies to have a hard time in camp and that’s exactly what he’s doing by not handing Taylor the starting job. The rookie has responded well to the test and I’d expect him to receive more starting reps within the next two weeks.
Shakeup for reserves on the OL
Upon being drafted last season the Jags tried to stress that Will Richardson was the future at right tackle, however, he’s now been moved to the No. 2 right guard spot which is interesting. Coming out of the draft, some projected that he’d be a guard on the next level and it appears the Jags are just now coming to grips with that. Nonetheless, he could be a key piece for the team in the future so he’ll be one to watch in the trenches.
The other interesting tidbit on the offensive line was the fact that the Jags listed Leonard Wester as a co-starter at the backup left tackle spot. The reason that’s worth noting is because Wells has been the Jags’ backup left tackle for many years. That said, maybe they feel Wester could be an upgrade there, but only time will tell.
Marqise Lee finds himself atop the unofficial chart despite being on PUP list, while Tyre Brady is listed as a No. 4
While it’s an unofficial depth chart, it’s odd to see Marqise Lee listed with the starters. Hopefully, it doesn’t indicate that they’ll try and force him in as the top dog late in the preseason because that might hurt Foles’ momentum as he’s already built a solid connection with Dede Westbrook, DJ Chark and Chris Conley. Simply put, that is the last thing the Jags need when taking on a powerhouse like the Kansas City Chiefs Week 1 of the regular season.
Another interesting tidbit at the receiver position is the fact that Tyre Brady was listed as a No. 4. That’s a very positive sign for the undrafted rookie who we’ve been high on at the Jags Wire even before he started impressing in camp. If he can have a strong preseason, the Jags might have to keep him on the final 53-man roster alongside Terrelle Pryor, which in all probability would allow them to put Lee on injured reserve to begin the season.
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