The Jacksonville Jaguars will be taking the field for their second preseason game of 2022 on Friday after enduring a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in the Hall of Fame Game. It was a game where they couldn’t get much going offensively, though a lot of starters didn’t play for the unit.
However, that’s going to change heading into Friday’s game against the Cleveland Browns. Jags coach Doug Pederson announced that he will let the starters take the field for limited reps as the first-team offense could use some reps against some new opponents. However, some key players will still be held out due to returning from major injuries or recent ones, like receivers Jamal Agnew and Laviska Shenault Jr. and running back James Robinson.
Even with the stars out, there will be plenty to watch when the first-team offense takes the field for Pederson on Friday. Here are five things that we will be keeping an eye on along the way:
Trevor Lawrence's debut under Doug Pederson
Pederson, who won a Super Bowl during his last stop with Philadelphia, has done a good job coaching quarterbacks throughout his career and has worked with first-round signal-callers like Carson Wentz and Alex Smith. Now, the hope is that he can aid Lawrence in taking a step forward after a rough rookie season where he completed under 60% of his passes.
Lawrence has looked like a much better player in training camp. He’ll take the field Friday after having a dominant Wednesday where he was 28-of-34 with five touchdowns.
Trevor Lawrence finished the day 28/34 with 5 TDs and 0 INTs.
Tyson Campbell broke up two passes and Marvin Jones dropped one that was slightly behind but catchable.
Next up for Trevor: The Browns on Friday night
— Jordan de Lugo (@jordandelugo) August 10, 2022
The Jags likely won’t try anything too complicated with Lawrence and the starters who will play for the first few series. Still, it would be nice to see him and the first-team unit move the ball down the field as the backups struggled offensively against the Las Vegas Raiders. Something to also watch will be the consistency of Lawrence’s mechanics, which NBC Sports’ Chris Simms praised him for recently.
The speed Travis Etienne brings to the offense
Etienne, who was projected to be a big part of the Jags’ plans last season, unfortunately, sustained a Lisfranc injury in the preseason that ended his rookie season. However, he worked hard during rehab and looks just as explosive as he was before — if not more explosive.
Etienne has arguably been the most impressive player in camp in the eyes of some reporters. He’s a player that brings versatility to the offense in addition to speed, and that’s been on display as he’s seen a lot of reps with James Robinson currently rehabbing.
Now, after the second-year player has dazzled this whole offseason, fans will get a preview of what he brings to the offense. With Pederson saying he wanted to see a stronger run game after the Jags’ first preseason game, maybe Etienne will get to make various highlight plays Friday as it’s clear the coaches have a plan for him in 2022.
OG Brandon Scherff debuts for the Jags
Scherff is a five-time Pro Bowler and a former First-Team All-Pro player who brings eight years of experience to the offensive line. Thanks to those accolades he’s expected to lead the unit, and fans should see an immediate impact from him.
While spending 2015-21 with the Washington Commanders, Scherff established himself as one of the most consistent guards in football when healthy. He’s acquired Pro Football Focus grades of 73.6 or higher in his last seven seasons, which is good news for Trevor Lawrence and company.
When he takes the field Friday, fans should keep a close eye on Scherff. He’s the type of player who will help them both in the run game and passing game, something the previous regime struggled to get out of the right guard spot in the past.
What's the chemistry looking like for the passing game?
It wasn’t cheap and cost the team just under $60 million in guarantees, though none of the deals individually are back-breaking. However, these three players will be heavily watched by the fans, who wanted splashier signings this spring.
The good thing is that all three have worked hard to build a bond with Lawrence dating back to organized team activities. Of the three, Kirk has the most potential after falling just 18 yards short of 1,000 last season with Arizona. He brings speed to the offense and could be a problem for defenses in the slot, which is something that helped young ascending star quarterback Kyler Murray have success last season.
Engram is a big athletic threat who could give the Jags the production they’ve long wanted at the tight end position. He has a big opportunity ahead of him after signing a one-year “prove it” contract, and he came to the right place to turn his career around as Pederson loves to utilize the tight end position.
As for Jones, it seems they view him as an X-receiver type. He’s impressed in camp despite being one of the more puzzling signings for the team. The staff has praised him (and Kirk) for his ability to communicate with Lawrence and explain what he’s seeing out of the defense. That said, it would be nice to see him make a few plays on Friday as it would further clear up the confusion fans had this spring when he was signed.
*Note: The Jags could play it safe with Kirk this week as he sustained an ankle injury in practice, but he wasn’t mentioned among the players who will sit.
The battle at right tackle
As for Little, he received plenty of opportunities in the absence of Taylor and fared well in the process. Throughout the last few weeks, he improved in 1-on-1 drills after struggling in the early padded practices. He also had a good game against the Raiders as he was able to register a PFF pass blocking grade of 82.4.
When looking at the unofficial depth chart, Taylor is listed as the starter. Time will tell if he sees the field first on Friday after he missed the Hall of Fame Game. Something worth noting is that the Jags will be without one tackle in Badara Traore, so it could give one of the competing tackles, or both, more time on the field.
