The Jacksonville Jaguars’ initial 53-man roster is in place, and the cutdown deadline forced GM James Gladstone to make some tough calls before the dust started to settle on Sunday.
One of the clearest choices was at running back, where the Jaguars are carrying four backs for much of last season - and they’re doing it again, at least for now. That’s not a common setup around the league. Abdullah was productive on the ground and through the air throughout camp, and with LeQuint Allen still sidelined, he could fill the passing-down role while also bringing return experience.
The offensive line also produced a notable casualty in Chuma Edoga. He offers guard-tackle versatility, but the return of Cole Van Lanen and the recent trade for Daniel Faalele pushed Edoga out of the picture. Wyatt Milum and Walker Little give the Jaguars tackle depth, while Little, Faalele, Milum and Jonah Monheim can all handle guard.
Two 2025 draft picks didn’t make the initial roster either. Fourth-rounder Jack Kiser and sixth-rounder Jalen McLeod were both waived. Kiser was sidelined after suffering an injury on the first day of training camp, while McLeod’s summer was uneven even though he finished with a strong push.
There were a couple of other decisions that stood out. Jahlani Tavai was a late arrival to camp, but he made the most of his opportunity and stood out as a blitzer while also bringing special teams value. And the Jaguars went with Christian Braswell over Jabbar Muhammad, a move that surprised because Muhammad appeared to outplay Braswell for much of camp.
In Other News...
Jaguars Face One Big Problem On The Waiver Wire
After roster cutdown day, the Jaguars are sitting 24th in the NFL waiver wire order, a spot that puts them in the middle of the chase for any players released across the league. The priority order is based on the original 2026 draft order before trades, and it gives clubs a clear pecking order when the waiver period opens.
For Jacksonville, the issue is timing as much as opportunity. Any claim has to be in by 1:00 PM ET on the Monday after 53-man rosters are set, which means the front office has only a narrow window to weigh who might fit, who might be available, and how far down the list the Jaguars are when the names they want start coming off the board. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A Backup QB Story Fans Should Watch
Will Levis time in Tennessee ended after two seasons, and the timing gives the market around him a little more intrigue than a typical cut. The former Titans quarterback never found much traction as a long-term answer there, with injuries and inconsistent play making it hard to build momentum, but he is still young enough that other teams will at least look at him as a project worth kicking the tires on.
For Jacksonville, he fits the kind of speculative quarterback conversation that can pop up whenever a former starter becomes available. The Jaguars already have their own evaluation to manage, but Levis is now part of the broader backup-QB shuffle that also includes teams like the Patriots, Chargers and Cowboys, and any one of them could decide his arm talent and prior starting experience are worth a closer look. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Still Have One More Chance To Improve Their 53-Man Roster
The Jaguars are through their roster cuts and now sit at No. 24 in the NFL waiver claim order, which gives them one more real chance to reshape the roster before the regular season settles in. After trimming to 53 players, Jacksonville can still scan the waiver wire for depth, competition and a few developmental pieces at positions where teams rarely stop looking for help.
Among the names that could draw interest are tight end Justin Joly, offensive lineman Christian Jones, defensive lineman Colby Wooden and defensive tackle Uar Bernard. None of those types of additions would change the feel of the roster overnight, but this is exactly the stage when front offices try to find a useful extra body or a player with a little growth left in him, especially if there is a chance to upgrade the back end of the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]