The Jaguars’ preseason opener is still a couple of days away, but Thursday’s joint practice with the Saints should tell us plenty about where this team really stands.
These kinds of sessions matter because they force both sides into something close to game conditions. For Jacksonville, it’s a chance to test what has looked settled in camp and see how it holds up against a different opponent. With that in mind, there are six areas worth tracking closely.
The first is Trevor Lawrence and the passing game. Parker Washington has been almost impossible to slow down in camp.
Lawrence has also built better chemistry with Brian Thomas Jr., which has opened up more chances downfield, while Jakobi Meyers has been gaining momentum lately and gives the offense an important presence in the middle and intermediate parts of the field. Even so, the picture hasn’t been spotless.
The Jacksonville secondary has given the offense trouble, so the big question is which version of the passing attack shows up against New Orleans.
The run game is another major watch point. The Jaguars want real improvement there this season, and that kind of progress could be a big lift for the offense in Year 2 under Liam Coen.
A productive ground game would keep Jacksonville on schedule and make the rest of the playbook easier to access. Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez have reportedly done well, but the offensive line has been dealing with injuries and the blocking has been uneven.
That brings us to the line itself. The configuration up front is still something to monitor because injuries have made things shaky.
Will Walker Little or Patrick Mekari take part in the team periods? If not, will Jonah Monheim be back at right guard and Wyatt Milum at right tackle?
The last practice showed how quickly the whole offense can bog down when the line isn’t holding up.
There’s also plenty to learn about the young pass rush behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. Jacksonville is leaning on an inexperienced group there, which naturally brings some uncertainty.
Even so, BJ Green and Danny Striggow have been strong as camp has gone on, and Zach Durfee and Wesley Williams have shown flashes. Thursday will be a good measuring stick against a different offense.
The linebacker battle is just as tight. Branson Combs and Ventrell Miller are fighting for the starting job next to Foye Oluokun, and neither has clearly pulled away.
Combs offers coverage ability, while Miller has been more reliable against the run. This practice could start to show whether one of them can create some separation.
And then there’s Travis Hunter. Based on how camp has played out, he’s likely to spend more snaps at cornerback than receiver.
The real question is how wide that gap is, and what he looks like on both sides. So far in camp, Hunter has picked off two passes and also made a few explosive plays at wideout.
Thursday should give another clue about how Jacksonville plans to use him.
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