JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It is almost game day. Preseason gameday. Thursday was the final practice before the Jaguars first preseason game of the year. Practice might be setting the bar too high. It was a walkthrough. With the Jaguars knee deep in game-prep mode, Thursday was more about setting the table for Saturday than competing.
With the team hitting the road Friday for Texas we will also look ahead to gameday.
Tune in early
Doug Pederson said he is planning to play the Jaguars starters for a series or two. It will be a light workload. Make sure you don’t miss the start of the game because if you blink you might miss Trevor.
More than stats
During preseason, stats matter but at the same time, they don’t. Last year, Kendric Pryor led the NFL in receiving yards during the preseason. He still got cut. That is how he ended up with the Jaguars. Keep an eye on when players play. A guy playing earlier in the game can be just as telling as a guy who doesn’t play at all.
Injury report
The Jaguars currently have three players in concussion protocol:
CB Tyson Campbell | OLB Yasir Abdullah | TE Sammis Reyes
Players to watch
With Starters playing in the game on Saturday, I’m sure most folks will be looking forward to seeing Calvin Ridley, Travon Walker, and some of the Jags other top players. Nothing wrong with that. But here are 4 players that should be playing deeper into the game that I will be keeping an eye on.
Gregory Junior
There are only a couple of starting jobs that are up for grabs. Nickel corner is one of them. Junior is firmly in the conversation for the job. I’m interested to watch him for more than just that though. Junior has such a wild story that is worth repeating. He comes from a small school and was the first draft pick in school history. Junior then spent most of last year on the practice squad. Now he could be a starter. Just a wild ride. The nickel job will come down to Junior, Tre Herndon and Christian Braswell.
Gerrit Prince
The early star of the training camp has been Gerrit Prince. He has made plays all over the field day after day. Now is Prince’s chance to show that he is more than just a practice standout and can do it in a game. Prince was a highly touted undrafted free agent a year ago. Now he is looking to lock up a spot on the Jaguars roster.
Snoop Conner
This may be more of an audition for the other 31 teams. Conner is in his second year and the numbers are stacked against him. Doug Pederson mentioned seeing growth from him this season but that may not be enough to stick around on the roster. Conner will need to take advantage of every rep.
Seth Williams
The top of the Jaguars wide receiver depth chart is set. With four spots locked up, the fifth and sixth spots are going to be a battle. Williams has had a good camp so far. He has made some big catches. Williams will need to show he can play special teams to separate himself from the pack. Parker Washington is a semi-lock for one of those finale spots because of his ability as a returner. That leaves Williams, Tim Jones, Kendric Pryor and Elijah Cooks all fighting for just one spot.
Another chance for fans
The Jaguars added an additional open training camp practice for fans. Tickets are available for Tuesday’s (noon) practice online right now.