The Jacksonville Jaguars will play their final preseason game Saturday when they host the Miami Dolphins. A few days later, the team will cut the roster down from 90 player to 53.
That leaves the Jaguars coaching staff only a few days to finalize some tough decisions about a deep roster.
Some of those calls may have already been made, but a few of those choices are far from obvious. Here are five battles on the Jaguars’ roster that will be under the microscope in the next week:
Gregory Junior vs. Tre Herndon III
The Jaguars moved Tre Herndon III into the slot late in the 2022 season and the veteran cornerback hit his stride. Herndon was re-signed by the Jaguars in March and has been the team’s first choice at slot cornerback ever since.
Gregory Junior is coming on awfully strong, though. The 2022 sixth-rounder has put together a tremendous camp that has carried into preseason where he has been directly part of three takeaways.
“I like where Tre is at,” Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said Tuesday. “He’s playing well, he didn’t get to play in this past game because Tre is considered a starter for us right now. … Now, Greg Junior has had a heck of a camp, he’s been making plays all over the field, and that battle will continue.”
Tim Jones vs. Jacob Harris vs. Elijah Cooks
There are four wide receivers (Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Jamal Agnew) who are locks and it seems like sixth-round pick Parker Washington is probably safe. Picking out a sixth receiver is hard, though.
Tim Jones seems to be the frontrunner after making the roster a year ago and appearing in all 17 games. He’s been a contributor on special teams and has developed into a reliable run blocker.
Jacob Harris’ push for the roster appears to be picking up traction, though. The former Rams fourth-round pick has special teams experience and size that the Jaguars are lacking at the position.
Elijah Cooks isn’t lacking for size either and has put together one of the most impressive preseasons of any rookie in the NFL.
The unfortunate reality for the Jaguars is that they’re going to have to part with some serious talent at wide receiver next week.
JaMycal Hasty vs. D'Ernest Johnson
The Jaguars carried four running backs through most of the 2022 season and it seems likely that they’ll do so again to keep a very talented room as in tact as possible.
That means JaMycal Hasty and D’Ernest Johnson probably aren’t battling for a spot on the 53-man roster. The fight to land at No. 3 on the depth chart behind Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby still looms large, though.
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson likes to spread out carries among his backs and the third back could certainly see a fair amount of touches. The same probably can’t be said about a fourth-string back.
K'Lavon Chaisson vs. Jordan Smith
K’Lavon Chaisson entered training camp as the third pass rusher for the Jaguars behind Josh Allen and Travon Walker. A month later, the team doesn’t seem as enthused about that plan.
Jacksonville entertained the idea of signing free agent rusher Jadeveon Clowney and compliments from coaches have stopped rolling in for Chaisson.
After a 25-7 win against the Detroit Lions, Doug Pederson told reporters that Jordan Smith and Yasir Abdullah stood out most among the pass rushers. Chaisson’s name didn’t come up at all.
Smith was a healthy scratch for most of his rookie year and missed all of 2022 with a knee injury. He’s shown flashes in preseason, but has it been enough for the Jaguars to officially throw in the towel on Chaisson?
The cornerback logjam
There are four cornerbacks who are safe (Tyson Campbell, Darious Williams, Tre Herndon III, Gregory Junior), but figuring out who will fill the fifth and sixth spots — assuming six are kept — isn’t easy.
In the mix are draft picks Montaric “Buster” Brown, Christian Braswell, and Erick Hallett II, as well as veterans Chris Claybrooks and Tevaughn Campbell. Even undrafted rookie Divaad Wilson has pushed his way into the conversation.
Braswell and Claybrooks have put together the best preseason of that group, according to PFF. But legal troubles for Claybrooks, who has been a special teams ace for the Jaguars, could give the team pause.
