Training camp is still about a month away, but the linebacker room already looks like one of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ most interesting battlegrounds.
There are really two competitions to watch. The first is the starting job next to Foye Oluokun, where Branson Combs appears to be making a real push at Ventrell Miller’s snaps. The second is the back end of the roster, where the Jaguars could be sorting through a crowded group for what may amount to only one spot.
Oluokun, Miller, Combs, Jack Kiser and Dennis Gardeck are the names that seem safest to make the team. That leaves Jalen McLeod, Parker Hughes and Yasir Abdullah fighting for what could be one remaining opening, though not every team carries six linebackers.
Combs is the name that stands out most after the offseason work. He broke through last year as a special teams contributor, and there’s a path for him to take on a defensive role as well.
John Shipley of Jaguars on SI put it plainly: "Miller will not just be handed the linebacker role in 2026," Shipley wrote. "Former undrafted linebacker Branson Combs was a true riser during the offseason program and the expectation should be for him to push Miller for the starting spot next to Oluokun.
With Oluokun getting some veteran rest periods during team drills in the offseason, this gave both Miller and Combs a chance to get as many reps as they could in comparison to one another."
McLeod is another player worth tracking, especially if the Jaguars are looking for someone who can help as a pass rusher. Shipley noted that he stood out in that area, and that kind of versatility matters in this group. Gardeck brings a similar kind of flexibility to the position.
For now, Miller still gets the nod as the favorite to start next to Oluokun, but this no longer looks like a quiet situation. Combs has forced his way into the conversation, and camp should tell the rest of the story. As for the final roster spots, McLeod gets the edge over Hughes and Abdullah, while Hughes gets the nod over Abdullah as the recent draft pick.
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For Hines-Allen, it is another marker of a season in which he was among the leagues most productive pressure players. Walker arrives with the momentum of a recent extension that underscored how strongly the Jaguars still believe in his trajectory, while Armstead enters with a different kind of motivation after a hand injury affected his late-season production. The summit does not answer every question about what Jacksonvilles pass rush will become, but it does put three important pieces of it in the same place at the same time. [Read more 🡒]
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Jacksonville weighed its options, but Armsteads presence on the defensive line still matters to a group that needs stability in the trenches. He also played through a hand injury late last season, and his production tailed off after a strong start, so the Jaguars are left balancing cost, health and value as they head deeper into camp with the decision still hanging over the front of the defense. [Read more 🡒]