The Jacksonville Jaguars are getting one last preseason measuring stick, and it comes with a familiar Florida backdrop. Tampa Bay is in town for two joint practices, giving Jacksonville a controlled setting to work against a different opponent before the regular season begins.
With Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers on the other sideline, the Jaguars should get useful defensive work, and Liam Coen’s familiarity with Todd Bowles’ defense should make the sessions even sharper. Coen also said the organization of the second practice could change, with the team going lighter and doing more 7-on-7 work instead of full team periods.
The most eye-catching matchup might be on the edge, where Josh Hines-Allen and Tristan Wirfs are set to collide. That’s the kind of premium battle you don’t really get in a normal camp setting, where players often ease up against teammates.
There won’t be any easing here. Wirfs is regarded as one of the league’s best offensive linemen, while Hines-Allen is one of the top players at his position, and their work in the trenches should be about as high-level as it gets.
Inside, the Jaguars’ offensive line will get a serious test from Vita Vea. The newly paid defensive lineman is one of the NFL’s best nose tackles, though he has recently been out while recovering from a back injury.
Bowles told reporters that Vea will return to the practice field when the team practices in Jacksonville, though that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll take part in team drills. If he does, Jacksonville’s interior line - especially if it’s Ezra Cleveland, Robert Hainsey and rookie Emmanuel Pregnon - will have its hands full.
The Jaguars have already dealt with their share of offensive line injuries in camp, so this is a valuable proving ground.
Another matchup to keep an eye on features rookie pass rusher Ruben Bain Jr. against Jacksonville’s tackles. He’ll get chances against Walker Little and Anton Harrison, giving both sides a useful snapshot of where they stand.
Bain, who was selected No. 15 overall by the Buccaneers, has been working alone after practice in Tampa and will be eager to show he slipped too far in the draft. Harrison won the left tackle job earlier in camp and is protecting Trevor Lawrence’s blindside, while Little is working at right tackle as Cole Van Lanen ramps up ahead of the season.
For both Jaguars tackles, this is the final chance to get meaningful work before the games start to count.
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Carter Bradleys outing, though, did not help his case, with the quarterback finishing below 50% completions and throwing an interception. Beyond the individual performances, the bigger concern for Jacksonville still sits on the defensive side, where cornerback depth and pass-rush depth remain issues the staff has to keep measuring before roster decisions start to harden. [Read more 🡒]