The Jaguars’ annual scrimmage in front of fans at the Miller Electric Center gave Friday’s practice a different feel, and it also produced one of the most revealing days of camp so far. With the first and second units spending much of the afternoon going against each other, a few players separated themselves fast.
B.J. Green was the loudest defensive presence on the field.
The second-year rookie defensive end finished with three sacks of Nick Mullens by my count and added two tackles for loss against the run. He was working in Josh Hines-Allen’s spot with the veteran sitting out, and Green kept wrecking the backup offense at several points throughout practice.
The caveat is obvious: Jacksonville is missing so many offensive linemen that the defensive starters were often lining up against third-stringers, which made the matchup uneven. Even so, Green’s impact was impossible to miss, and his stock is climbing.
The Jaguars’ passing game had its share of rough spots. The timing was off at times, there were several misccomunications, and the completion rate hovered around 50% during the practice.
Still, there were bright moments. Jakobi Meyers came through with two key third-down catches, Brian Thomas Jr. hauled in a touchdown from Trevor Lawrence and made a few strong catches near the sideline, and Brenton Strange kept doing what he’s done throughout camp.
But Parker Washington was the standout again.
Washington caught six passes from Lawrence, including two on third down and a touchdown. He was Lawrence’s go-to target, and he kept winning over and over against Jacksonville’s backup secondary.
More than anything, it looked routine. That has been the story of his camp, and Friday was no different.
The backfield picture also started to come into focus. Chris Rodriguez Jr. has been limited in team drills for most of camp while working back from the foot injury he suffered in the spring, so there hadn’t been much clarity on how the Jaguars might split the workload with Bhayshul Tuten. Friday’s scrimmage offered a clearer look.
Tuten opened the first offensive drive and only came off for LeQuint Allen on third down. Rodriguez then started the second drive before rotating with Tuten.
Eventually, the Jaguars settled into a pattern where Tuten began drives, Rodriguez came on when the offense got inside the 10-yard line, and Allen handled third downs. The trio produced a solid showing, with Rodriguez and Tuten each popping some runs and Allen catching a touchdown from Trevor Lawrence.
It is still risky to read too much into a scrimmage, especially with last year’s version pointing the wrong way on Tank Bigsby. Even so, seeing Tuten, Rodriguez, and Allen deployed in those roles together felt like a real clue.
The offensive line continued to shuffle, though Friday’s changes felt less like deliberate experimentation and more like necessity. The initial group was Anton Harrison, Ezra Cleveland, Robert Hainsey, Wyatt Milum, and Walker Little, which has been the starting five for much of the past week. But Little left early after going down gingerly, which pushed Milum to right tackle and moved second-year lineman Jonah Monheim into right guard.
Jacksonville also had four of its top-10 offensive linemen unavailable at some point between Little, Cole Van Lanen, Patrick Mekari, and Emmanuel Pregnong. That left the second unit looking more like a third unit, and the starting defense handled it accordingly.
The biggest defensive highlight belonged to Montaric Brown. Nick Mullens tried to push a deep ball to J’Mari Taylor, but Brown went up and snatched it with a leaping interception that stood out as the play of the day. It was one of two takeaways for the defense, with Jalen Huskey also forcing and recovering a fumble, and the defensive sideline erupted after Brown’s pick.
In Other News...
Jaguars Camp Just Exposed A Growing Problem Up Front
The Jaguars eighth training camp practice on Aug. 7 had the feel of a mid-summer checkpoint, with fans on hand for a mock game and plenty of familiar names showing up in the action. Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr. and Montaric Brown all had their moments, but the offense also had its rough spots, with penalties piling up and kicks drifting off target as the day went on.
What stood out most, though, was the state of the offensive line. Several players up front were already dealing with injuries, leaving the unit thinner than ideal at a point in camp when cohesion matters most, and that shortage only sharpened the sense that Jacksonville is trying to sort through more than just assignments and technique. For a team hoping to build rhythm on offense, the health of the line has become a problem worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Defense Is Taking Shape But Key Roster Battles Are Still Open
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The competition is not close to finished, though, and there are still a few spots where every snap matters. One of the more interesting camp developments has been Jabbar Muhammad continuing to build his case for a place on the final roster, while Christian Braswell has yet to practice because of an injury, leaving another cornerback battle unsettled as Jacksonville keeps sorting out its defensive back room. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Salary Hierarchy Says A Lot About This Roster Build
The Jaguars payroll tells the story of how this roster has been built, and it starts up front and on the edge. Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker sit near the top of the salary hierarchy, a clear sign that Jacksonville has invested heavily in pass rush as a foundation piece, while Jakobi Meyers and Cole Van Lanen round out a top five that reflects just how many different ways the front office has tried to fill out the roster around its core.
There is also a draft-history thread running through that group, which makes the contract list more than just a snapshot of spending. It points to a franchise trying to balance homegrown talent, outside additions and long-term commitments, even as the exact shape of the roster keeps evolving. For a team still defining its identity, the money says plenty about where the Jaguars believe the most important pieces need to come from. [Read more 🡒]