The Jacksonville Jaguars have finally wrapped up their preseason after a 31-12 loss in their finale against the Atlanta Falcons. That put them at a record of 0-4 on the preseason, which is a first for the franchise since coming into the league.
Of course, much of that was because the Jags limited their starters to just about two full quarters this preseason, and Thursday’s finale was no different as the Jags played their reserves and sat 40 players. That allowed rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew to get his third preseason start, which was rather uneventful.
However, Minshew wasn’t the lone player to struggle as the Jags’ offensive cast around him didn’t catch the ball well, while the defense gave up a total of 425 yards. Needless to say, many are now glad the regular season is here.
Still, before we get to that point and final cuts, here are our biggest takeaways from the Jags’ preseason finale:
Gardner Minshew probably needs more time to develop and a veteran No. 2 QB is needed on the roster
One of the things coach Doug Marrone told the media this week was that he wanted to see more from rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew, and Week 4’s game probably won’t provide him with the clearest evaluation. Thursday’s performance wasn’t pretty and his struggles were a mix of issues on his end like off-target throws, and issues on his supporting cast’s end like drops. The offensive line was also less than perfect, but then again, what backup in the NFL played behind a serviceable backup offensive line this preseason?
Truth be told, the Jags’ front office may have put Marrone in a tough situation. Ideally, a coach would like to have a veteran No. 2 quarterback if not an early-round selection from the draft. Banking on a sixth-round pick to be a No. 2 was a lot to ask for of Minshew from the start, and typically a player of his caliber would be a developmental quarterback had an elite offensive team grabbed him.
Heading forward, it will be interesting to see if the Jags elect to get a veteran backup (through trade or free-agency) as there may not be many options available. That may be the wise thing to do when considering Nick Foles’ history as throwing a sixth-round rookie to the wolves in the regular season may not end with the best results.
Ryquell Armstead should see significant snaps alongside Leonard Fournette
Tailback Ryquell Armstead is a player we were high on at Jags Wire after the Jags completed their 2019 draft class and now fans are beginning to see why. In a game in which there weren’t a lot of positives, he was able to garner six carries for 40 yards which was good for an average of 6.7 yards.
His highlight play of the night came in the form of a 32-yard gain in the second quarter where he ran the ball between the tackles and showcased great explosiveness. The run was one that just added to what fans saw previously out of him in training camp and the previous preseason games, giving them confidence in what he can be when paired with Leonard Fournette.
WR Tre McBride makes one last push to make the final roster as WR No. 6, but it might not have been enough
The Jags’ young receivers struggled with drops all preseason, and that was once again the case against the Falcons. Still, Tre McBride, who had some drops of his own this preseason, managed to lead the Jags in receiving Week 4 with three catches for 37 yards.
Heading into Thursday’s game, most thought McBride was a player fighting for the Jags’ last receivers spot with C.J. Board and Terrelle Pryor in the mix, too. Unfortunately, Board wasn’t targeted Thursday night while Pryor missed the game with a hamstring injury, so the opportunity was there for McBride. And though he led the team in receiving, his performance lacked highlight plays, which may prompt the Jags to view him more as a practice squad player, but time will tell.
CB Breon Borders and DL Datone Jones seized there last moments to make the team as defensive reserves
Two of the more notable players that took the field Thursday were cornerback Breon Borders, who was fighting for a backup cornerback spot, and defensive lineman Datone Jones, who has been very impressive and made one last statement to make the team if the coaches still had questions.
Borders needed to close the preseason on a high note with the No. 5 cornerback spot in his grasp, and he did just that by recording a pass breakup on the night. At this point, it’s hard to envision the Jags not keeping him as he’s clearly shown the development they would like since being on their practice squad last season and has surpassed Quenton Meeks on the depth chart.
Jones, on the other hand, probably had already solidified as roster spot before the game after a very strong preseason. However, due to numbers on the defensive line, the Jags elected to play him. He once again answered the call by being disruptive in the trenches, registering a tackle and blocking a kick on the night.
