A linebacker spot that looked like Ventrell Miller’s to lose may not be that simple once Jaguars training camp gets rolling.
The name climbing into the conversation is Branson Combs, an under-the-radar defender who could turn the battle next to Foye Oluokun into a real fight for snaps. What had been an assumed path for Miller now looks a lot more open, with John Shipley of Jaguars on SI pointing to the linebacker group as one of four camp battles worth tracking.
Shipley previously laid out the case this way after offseason work wrapped up:
"Miller will not just be handed the linebacker role in 2026," Shipley wrote. "Former undrafted linebacker Branson Combs was a true riser during the offseason program and the expectation should be for him to push Miller for the starting spot next to Oluokun. With Oluokun getting some veteran rest periods during team drills in the offseason, this gave both Miller and Combs a chance to get as many reps as they could in comparison to one another."
Combs came into last season as a UDFA from the 2025 NFL draft, spent time on the practice squad, and then worked his way into a special teams role. This spring, though, he wasn’t just hanging around the edges. He was getting real chances on defense, too.
Miller still brings the more obvious experience. He was in a similar spot last training camp, when he was battling Devin Lloyd for playing time. But Combs appears to have made the most of the reps he’s earned, and Liam Coen has clearly taken notice.
"Branson's a guy obviously that we had a lot of like for last year," Coen said during minicamp. "He was close to getting claimed.
We ended up putting him on the active roster and he may win the Iron Jag of the Year at this pace. I know he's leading the group right now, leading the team in the individual award.
Just low-key, he's pretty athletic, like he's explosive. He can do multiple different things in terms of coverage abilities, whether it's in man or zone.
I like him in coverage.
"I think he's done a nice job with Foye not getting as many reps in some of the team settings with he and Jack having to get more of those. So being able to communicate at a high level is what he's needed those reps."
That’s the part that makes this more than just a depth-chart note. The Jaguars have made competition a feature under Coen, and linebacker looks like it could be no exception.
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