The Jaguars’ linebacker room is turning into one of the clearest early wins of training camp, and it starts with a decision they made back in March: letting former All-Pro Devin Lloyd walk in free agency.
That choice drew plenty of heat at the time, and the backlash only got louder after the 2026 NFL Draft, when Jacksonville waited until the seventh round to take a linebacker in Parker Hughes. On paper, it looked like a gamble. Through six training camp practices, it’s starting to look like the Jaguars knew exactly what they were doing.
It’s still way too soon to say Lloyd has been fully replaced, and nothing here erases what he gave the defense last season. But the early returns point to a room that may already have the answer in-house, with fourth-year linebacker Ventrell Miller and second-year linebacker Branson Combs emerging as the two names most likely to fill that role.
Combs, in particular, is the fascinating part of this story. He arrived last year as an undrafted free agent and has now worked his way into a real battle for snaps. That’s a big leap, but it fits the way this Jaguars regime seems to operate: keep digging, keep evaluating, and let the best players rise.
“Yeah. I think, like I said the last time I was up here, that’s a heated competition in that room. I think competition brings competitors," Jaguars defensive cordinator Anthony Campanile said after practice on Tuesday.
"And Liam [Head Coach Liam Coen] did an unbelievable job of that here last year. Like, [DT] Matt Dickerson played his ass off on scout team last year.
And we ended up bringing him up, and he did a great job for us out on the field. So that's real here.
Our head coach believes in that. He believes in competition.
And if you're doing a great job and you're producing, you're going to get an opportunity to play. So, that's what it's all about.
It's about stacking days and continuing to produce. But the guys in there are in a good competition and they're all playing hard.”
That’s the lane Combs has taken. The Jaguars gave opportunities to players who kept improving during the 2025 season, and Combs now looks like one of the best candidates to do the same this year.
His path didn’t happen by accident. He first put himself on the radar during the offseason program, when Miller appeared to be lined up for a clean starting job next to veteran linebacker Foyesade Oluokun. Instead, Combs kept making his case and forced his way into the conversation.
"I think mentally it's a different approach for sure. Last year was really coming in as an undrafted free agent, you know, you're not getting as many defensive reps, so it's really just finding ways that you can show what you can do, whether that's special teams or in the meeting rooms, whatever it is," Combs said after practice on Tuesday.
"You're just kind of trying to find ways where you can kind of stick around, and just throughout the year, just being able to get more and more reps and be able to become more and more comfortable with it, I think my approach going into this year was more, hey, let's let's find a way on the field defensively and try to make an impact that way. So I think that's really how it's changed.
In Other News...
Jaguars Camp Is Starting To Reveal Two Important Offensive Answers
The Jaguars shorter practice Thursday offered a little more clarity on an offense that has been sorting through plenty of moving parts in camp. Trevor Lawrence was sharper with his accuracy, which is the sort of encouraging sign Jacksonville wants to see as the quarterback settles into the offense, while Chris Rodriguez Jr. continued to make his case in short-yardage work. The coaching staff also kept mixing and matching along the offensive line, especially on the right side, where jobs are still being sorted out.
Ventrell Miller added a defensive highlight by forcing and recovering a fumble, but the more interesting takeaway for Jacksonville may be how the offense is starting to answer a few important questions. Camp has a way of turning competition into clues, and the Jaguars are still balancing line combinations with the need for a reliable power option near the goal line. For now, Thursday felt like one of those practices where the shape of the offense is coming into focus, even if the final picture is not there yet. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Camp Battles Are Already Turning Up Tough Roster Decisions
After the first week of training camp practices, the Jaguars are already staring at some uncomfortable roster math. A cluster of familiar names has surfaced on the bubble at several spots, from running back Abdullah and receivers Austin Trammell and Tim Jones to tight ends Quintin Morris and Hunter Long, along with offensive lineman Chuma Edoga, defensive lineman Matt Dickerson and cornerbacks Preston Hodge and Devon Marshall.
The pressure is no lighter on defense, where Jalen McLeod, Yasir Abdullah and Parker Hughes are all in the mix at linebacker, and the staff still has room to sort out how it wants to trim the depth chart. Jacksonville has more practices and preseason games left to sort through those calls, but early camp has already made clear that a few of these competitions could come down to the wire. [Read more 🡒]
Parker Washington Is Forcing A Big Jaguars Decision This Season
Parker Washington has spent three seasons quietly building his case in Jacksonville, and this fall he has turned into one of the more important pieces on the field. His production has climbed every year, and in a receiver room that has seen plenty of shuffling, he has become a steady presence for Trevor Lawrence while the Jaguars go through their practice work with players like Anton Harrison and Zach Durfee in the mix.
Washington also knows what kind of market the position has become, even if he says his focus stays on playing well. For the Jaguars, that creates an obvious next question as the season moves along: whether this late rise is enough to make him part of the long-term plan, or whether they will be forced to make a tougher call once the year is over. [Read more 🡒]