The Jacksonville Jaguars’ depth has been on display in preseason where they had a come-from-behind win against the Dallas Cowboys followed by a blowout victory over the Detroit Lions.
Unfortunately for the Jaguars, that leaves them with the bittersweet reality that they’ll have to part with a lot of talent next week when roster limits are slashed from 90 players all the way to 53.
Jacksonville would love it if the rest of the team doesn’t claim many of those players off waivers, leaving them with a ton of practice squad options. But the reality is that the Jaguars’ deep roster could be a treasure trove for other teams.
With less than a week until cut down day, here are the 53 players who appear to have a hold on a roster spot with the Jaguars:
Quarterback (2)
- Trevor Lawrence
- C.J. Beathard
Parting with Nathan Rourke wouldn’t be a popular move among Jaguars fans, but all signs are pointing that direction.
Despite an impressive preseason so far from Rourke, Doug Pederson says Beathard will be the backup quarterback. And Rourke seems well aware of the fact that he could hit the waiver wire soon.
The Jaguars haven’t carried three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster in the last couple years and it doesn’t seem like they plan on changing that in 2023.
Running back (4)
- Travis Etienne Jr.
- Tank Bigsby
- JaMycal Hasty
- D’Ernest Johnson
The Jaguars’ running back room is deep and talented, but it’s not hard to sort out. There are clear tiers with Etienne and Bigsby at the top, Hasty and Johnson battling for third, and Snoop Conner and Qadree Ollison on the outside looking in.
Keeping four backs would make sense and there’s no mystery which four stand out most.
Wide receiver (6)
- Calvin Ridley
- Christian Kirk
- Zay Jones
- Jamal Agnew
- Parker Washington
- Tim Jones
The battle for the final two spots in the wide receiving corps is probably the toughest call the Jaguars will have to make next week.
Washington, a sixth-round pick with value as a returner, hasn’t done a ton to secure his place, but seems like a player the Jaguars wouldn’t want to send through the waiver wire. It’s also tough to see Jacksonville cutting ties with Tim Jones, who has slowly developed into a reliable and complete receiver with blocking ability to boot.
But Jacob Harris seems to be getting real traction and Elijah Cooks has shined in preseason. The unfortunate reality is the Jaguars will have to part with some real talent at receiver.
Tight end (4)
- Evan Engram
- Brenton Strange
- Luke Farrell
- Gerrit Prince
Prince hasn’t quite shined in preseason like he has in training camp, but it’s hard to see the Jaguars cutting ties. The team kept four tight ends on the roster through the 2022 season and it has every reason to do the same this year.
Offensive line (8)
- Walker Little (LT)
- Ben Bartch (LG)
- Luke Fortner (C)
- Brandon Scherff (RG)
- Anton Harrison (RT)
- Tyler Shatley (OL)
- Cole Van Lanen (OL)
- Josh Wells (OL)
- Blake Hance (OL)
- Cam Robinson (OT) – won’t count against roster count while suspended
The offensive line configuration was already tricky before a wave of injuries made it even more difficult to figure out. Versatility has been pushed to the forefront by the Jaguars coaching staff, and experience may be more valuable given the bumps and bruises.
The toughest calls are cutting veteran tackle Josh Wells and seventh-round pick Cooper Hodges, who was coming on strong before a patella injury ended his training camp. Don’t be surprised if the Jaguars stash Hodges on the PUP list or injured reserve next week rather than cut him.
Defensive line (6)
- Roy Robertson-Harris (DE)
- DaVon Hamilton (DT)
- Folorunso Fatukasi (DE)
- Adam Gotsis (DL)
- Jeremiah Ledbetter (DL)
- Tyler Lacy (DL)
- Dawuane Smoot (DL) – won’t count against the roster count while on PUP list
Ledbetter and Lacy have solidified their place on the roster. The only question is about the severity of the medical issue that has sidelined Hamilton.
If Hamilton is out for an extended time, it could open the door for seventh-round pick Raymond Vohasek to land on the roster. But the team isn’t likely to carry eight defensive linemen whenever Hamilton and Smoot are ready to go.
Outside linebacker (4)
- Josh Allen
- Travon Walker
- Yasir Abdullah
- Jordan Smith
Parting with K’Lavon Chaisson would raise eyebrows, especially when Jaguars coaches were calling him the No. 3 pass rusher at the beginning of camp. Since then, Chaisson’s done little to show he should be on the roster, while Abdullah and Smith have shown flashes.
Inside linebacker (5)
- Foye Oluokun
- Devin Lloyd
- Chad Muma
- Ventrell Miller
- Caleb Johnson
After the clear top three, Miller and Shaq Quarterman are battling for the fourth spot on the depth chart. The advantage goes to the player who was just picked in the fourth round. Johnson earns a spot because of his special teams prowess.
Cornerback (6)
- Tyson Campbell
- Darious Williams
- Tre Herndon
- Gregory Junior
- Christian Braswell
- Montaric “Buster” Brown
The battle for the final spots has been close, but Junior, Braswell, and Brown have stood out from the pack.
Safety (5)
- Andre Cisco
- Rayshawn Jenkins
- Andrew Wingard
- Antonio Johnson
- Daniel Thomas
Johnson is dealing with an ill-timed hamstring injury, but it’d be a huge surprise if the Jaguars were ready to move on from the fifth-round pick. Thomas may be on the bubble, but his special teams skills should save him.
Special teams (3)
- Brandon McManus (K)
- Logan Cooke (P)
- Ross Matiscik (LS)
The severity of Matiscik’s injury is still unknown, but there’s simply no way the Jaguars will carry two long snappers into the regular season.
