The Jaguars’ linebacker spot is still up for grabs, and the fight for it has become one of the sharper storylines of camp.
With second-team All-Pro Devin Lloyd now gone to the Carolina Panthers in March, Jacksonville has a hole to fill, and Ventrell Miller looks like the early favorite to step into it. The fourth-year linebacker spent 2025 learning behind Lloyd, and he says that time mattered.
“I feel like Dev just taught me how to be a pro ... being able to get eyes on him, see how he’s doing things and see how he kept his body fresh for the whole last year,” Miller said.
For Miller, that lesson hit home. His NFL start was delayed by injuries, beginning with a run of problems at the University of Florida and then an Achilles rupture during his rookie year in 2023. That history has pushed him into a more deliberate routine, both in the weight room and on the field.
“The best ability is availability,” Miller said Tuesday. “Just having the mindset to come back bigger, faster, stronger, that was always my mindset.”
The results have shown up. In 2025, Miller posted 27 tackles and four passes defensed in 17 games, and he was the only NFL player under 250 defensive snaps to log both an interception and a forced fumble.
Pro Football Focus also put him on its 2026 NFL All-Breakout Team. During the first two weeks of training camp, he’s backed that up with a strong showing, including Thursday’s play when he punched the ball loose from running back Ameer Abdullah after a short pass and then recovered it himself.
But Miller isn’t running away with anything.
Branson Combs has made this a real battle. The linebacker, who began the 2025 season on the practice squad, turned heads Tuesday with a pass breakup during red-zone work and a solid downfield rep against Parker Washington.
Combs brings an unusual background to the position. Before settling in on defense, he was a wide receiver, and that feel for the other side of the ball may be part of what helps him now.
In high school, he scored 58 touchdowns and finished fourth in Indiana history in career receiving yards. He started college at Southern Illinois as a receiver before changing positions in 2021, then finished his career at Wake Forest.
After going undrafted in the 2025 NFL draft, Combs spent 10 weeks on the Jaguars’ practice squad before earning a roster spot. He said none of that has changed how he approaches the competition.
“Whether you’re drafted or undrafted, I’m in the building,” he said. “Once we’re out on the field … you come out here on the grass and you play. It really doesn’t matter where you were.”
Last season, Combs mostly showed up on special teams, finishing with seven tackles and one solo defensive tackle. Even with that year of experience, he says he’s still in a fight.
“I think it was just a year under my belt, kind of knowing what’s going on … you get a little more comfortable,” he said. “But it’s still, 100% you’re competing.”
For now, that’s exactly where things stand. Miller and Combs are both pressing for the job, both bringing energy, and neither is backing down. The Jaguars haven’t made a decision yet, and coaches will keep sorting it out over the next couple weeks in August.
Jacksonville’s next open practice is Aug. 9, followed by an open joint practice with the Panthers on Aug. 19.
In Other News...
Jaguars Camp Just Exposed A Growing Problem Up Front
The Jaguars eighth training camp practice on Aug. 7 doubled as a mock game in front of fans, giving the offense another chance to settle in while the competition ramped up. Trevor Lawrence connected on several notable plays, Brian Thomas Jr. continued to stand out, and Montaric Brown made his presence felt on the other side, but the session also had the kind of rough edges that tend to linger in August, with penalties and missed kicks slowing things down.
More concerning for Jacksonville was the state of the offensive line, where several players were already dealing with injuries and the group is still working to find any real continuity. Cole Van Lanen and Garrett DiGiorgio remained out, and the Jaguars also had to navigate fresh issues up front during the mock game, a reminder that the pressure on the unit is coming from more than just the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Defense Is Taking Shape But Key Roster Battles Are Still Open
Six training camp practices in, the Jaguars defense is starting to reveal its hierarchy, with some position groups looking more settled than they did when camp opened. The early depth chart projections are being shaped by a mix of health and performance, and for a team trying to sort out its defensive rotation, those reps are already carrying real weight.
Even so, the picture is far from finished. There are still roster spots up for grabs, and the competition at the back end of the defense has a few players making a push while others are waiting to get on the field and rejoin the mix. How those battles unfold over the rest of camp will say plenty about which defenders stick when the Jaguars begin trimming the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Salary Hierarchy Says A Lot About This Roster Build
The Jaguars salary structure offers a pretty clear snapshot of how this roster has been built, with premium money flowing toward the pass rush and a few notable bets on recent additions. Josh Hines-Allen sits at the top with his five-year, $141.25 million deal, followed by Travon Walker and then a pair of important contracts in Jakobi Meyers and Cole Van Lanen, all of which help map out where Jacksonville has chosen to spend and how it has tried to reinforce the core.
What stands out is not just the size of those deals, but the mix of draft pedigree and roster management behind them. The Jaguars have leaned on high-end investment in players they drafted and developed, while also making room for veterans brought in to fill key spots, and that balance says plenty about the front offices view of where the team can win now. The part that remains worth watching is how this hierarchy holds up once the next wave of decisions starts to press against it. [Read more 🡒]