The Jaguars don’t need their Week 1 X-factors to be household names. They need them to hold up their end of the bargain.
Jacksonville will lean on the usual headliners against the Browns - Trevor Lawrence, Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, Travis Hunter, Brian Thomas Jr., and the rest of the top end of the roster. But games like this often swing on the players just below that tier, the ones who can tilt a drive or two and change the shape of the afternoon.
One of those names is G Emmanuel Pregnon, who is expected to start at left guard. That assignment comes with immediate pressure.
He’ll be thrown right into a difficult matchup, and the Browns’ front isn’t just about Myles Garrett. Their interior line also made noise last season, with Mason Graham and Maliek Collins both proving they can get after the quarterback.
For Pregnon, Week 1 is a straight-up early test.
On the edge, DE BJ Green is another player worth watching. The Jaguars know what they’re getting from Walker and Hines-Allen, but the bigger question has been the depth behind them.
Green helped ease some of those concerns during training camp, and now the challenge is carrying that momentum into the regular season. With the pass rush expected to be heavily rotated, his ability to give Jacksonville consistent snaps could matter more than it looks on paper.
Then there’s the backfield, where RB Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez may wind up shaping the offense as much as anyone outside the quarterback. If that pair can give Jacksonville a dependable run game, it changes everything.
It helps the Jaguars stay ahead of the chains, avoid obvious passing downs, and gives Liam Coen more options to work with. From there, the passing game gets cleaner looks, and Lawrence gets the benefit of more manageable situations.
In Other News...
Brian Thomas Jr. Just Put Jacksonvilles Biggest Passing Game Concern Back In Focus
Brian Thomas Jr. briefly sent a ripple through the Jaguars opener when he went down with a shoulder injury in the first quarter against the Browns and was first listed as questionable to return. He made his way back to the sideline and then re-entered the game in the second quarter, which offered an immediate sense of relief for a team counting on him to be a major part of the passing attack this season.
The episode still brought back the questions that followed him through training camp, where the shoulder issue had already been part of the background. For Jacksonville, that is the kind of scare that matters beyond one series or one game, because Thomas is expected to be one of the key pieces in a passing game that cannot afford many more reminders of how fragile its early-season outlook can be. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Defense Flipped Deshaun Watsons Return In Just One Drive
Deshaun Watsons return to a regular-season game came with plenty of buildup, but Jacksonville wasted no time turning the opener into a test. On Clevelands first drive, Watson threw an interception on his first regular-season snap in nearly two years, and Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun brought it back to set up a touchdown for Jacksonville.
Watson had won the Browns Week 1 job after a full-camp competition, and the game marked his first regular-season start since October 2024. For the Jaguars, it was the kind of fast start that can reshape an opener in an instant, especially when the defense is the one delivering the early jolt. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Week 1 Opener Could Bring A Problem Fans Dread
Week 1 brings the usual opening-day buzz, but for fans heading to Jacksonvilles opener against Cleveland on Sunday, Sept. 13, the forecast adds a familiar late-summer wrinkle. Weather across the NFL slate could be unsettled, and the game is among the ones drawing attention as conditions are expected to be the kind that can turn a clean September afternoon into a messy one in a hurry.
For the Jaguars, the concern is less about the calendar and more about the experience, since rain delays and slippery conditions can quickly change how a season opener feels in the stands and on the field. Fans planning to be there should keep an eye on local weather updates and follow safety guidance if storms move in, because this is the sort of situation that can linger right up until kickoff. [Read more 🡒]