The Jaguars’ preseason trip to Carolina ended in a 34-17 loss Friday, but the scoreboard wasn’t the main story. At this stage, the real action is in the margins: who’s getting snaps, who’s flashing, and who’s fighting for a job.
Jacksonville kept its starters on the sideline, so the focus shifted quickly to the depth chart battles. On that front, rookie receivers CJ Williams and Josh Cameron kept making noise. The Jaguars already have plenty of talent near the top of the wideout room, but Williams and Cameron continue to push for ways onto the field this season.
There’s similar movement elsewhere on the roster. At linebacker, Yasir Abdullah may be emerging as the favorite for a spot that’s still up for grabs. At tight end, Quintin Morris and Hunter Long appear to be competing for the same roster spot.
The linebacker rotation also deserves a closer look. Ventrell Miller and Branson Combs both kept seeing snaps, just as they did a week ago, and the battle between them for playing time looks close enough that Jacksonville could wind up using a rotation once the games count.
A few young defenders kept turning heads. Rookie safety Jalen Huskey was active all night, consistently flying around and showing he’s more than willing to throw himself into tackles. Recently signed linebacker Jahlani Tavai also made his presence felt as a blitzer.
There were some rough edges, too. Penalties showed up early and have been a recurring issue throughout camp, something the Jaguars also had to manage last season.
On the field, the defense had a few encouraging signs. The run defense held up well regardless of which unit was on the field, and that part of the operation looked steady from top to bottom.
At the same time, Jacksonville’s pass rush depth didn’t make much of an impact. That was a quieter area of the night.
Christian Braswell was another player the Jaguars watched closely. He was on the roster last year and got regular snaps down the stretch, but he doesn’t look like a lock at this point.
On offense, Nick Mullens bounced back from a rough outing last week and delivered a better showing. And in the backfield, Ameer Abdullah started at running back for Jacksonville and reminded everyone not to overlook him after J’Mari Taylor had impressed a week earlier. Abdullah has been having a strong summer, and that showed here.
One final defensive note stood out: after 34 pass attempts from Carolina quarterbacks, the Jaguars’ defensive backs did not record a single pass breakup.
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Jaguars Bubble Players Just Got A Huge Chance Before Bucs Week
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For players on the bubble, that made the reps matter even more. Jacksonville used the session to get a closer evaluation of younger options who could factor into practice squad decisions, and defensive lineman Matt Dickerson provided one of the more memorable moments with an interception returned for a touchdown. It was the kind of camp day that does not always draw headlines, but it can go a long way in sorting out the final edges of the roster before the Buccaneers arrive. [Read more 🡒]