Tough decisions ahead: Projecting the final 53-man roster for the Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars are in their final week of preseason and they have some serious decisions to make in filling out their 53-man roster. Jamal St. Cyr and Justin Barney project the final roster. Players on injured reserve or suspended do not count against the team’s 53-man limit. NFL teams have to whittle their roster to 53 by Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Quarterback

JSC: This was easy. My initial 53 had them keeping three QBs but that was a misstep. Mac Jones is the clear backup. CJ Beathard is a little banged up with the groin so maybe he ends up on IR but he won’t be on the 53.

JB: No change for me from my initial roster projection. They will keep Lawrence and Jones and cut Beathard, who could wind up on the practice squad. His groin injury in the win over the Buccaneers wouldn’t have changed things. Jones has just been better.

Running back

JSC: This one was easy except for the injury to Keilan Robinson. With the new IR rules, I expect they will place Robinson on the temporary injured reserve on cut day and keep three running backs until he is healthy.

JB: I changed this pick, going from four to three. Robinson was on my original 53 but he’s been in a walking boot throughout camp. Jacksonville wanted to use him in the return game but he hasn’t been available. Bigsby has looked much better in camp and in preseason games and looks like a legitimate RB 2. He needs to shake the inconsistency that plagued him as a rookie.

Receiver

JSC: A slight shift here for me. That WR 6 spot came down to special teams and Elijah Cooks could never crack the rotation. Tim Jones is a special teams ace and that keeps him around for another year.

JB: Five of these are locks for me in Davis, Duvernay, Kirk, Thomas and Washington. Jones has defied the odds the last two seasons and made the team as a special teams ace. I think that keeps him on yet again. Washington has really proven himself in the return game. Duvernay may be a better receiver than we originally thought. Cooks is the first man out for me here.

Tight end

JSC: No question. The only guy in the conversation is Josiah Deguara who has had a good camp but It was always a long shot for him to crack the roster.

JB: No surprises here. Same three as last season. I’d like to see Strange become a greater threat in the receiving game. He was invisible during a quiet rookie season. I do like Deguara, too, but I can’t see the Jaguars keeping four at this position.

Offensive linemen

JSC: This is one of the toughest spots to judge on the team. Moving on from Tyler Shatley is tough but there is so much competition. Javon Foster was a fourth-round draft pick but he had some rookie struggles during training camp and he is fighting for a spot against a vet like Blake Hance. He snuck onto the 53 just because of where he was drafted but I wouldn’t be surprised if he fell off.

JB: Tough group for me. The unit wasn’t that good last season and the Jaguars really didn’t do much outside of signing Mitch Morse and drafting Foster, who has looked every bit like the rookie in camp. I think this is Cam Robinson’s last year in town. Could Walker Little make Robinson expendable before Week 1? If they keep 11, I think Foster makes it.

Defensive linemen

JSC: I was going to sneak DJ Coleman on the roster one way or another. He’s had a good camp and the Jaguars need some D-line depth at edge.

JB: I moved off having Tyler Lacy on here and put Coleman in. He has been a very good player in camp and I think he’s been one of the better stories in the preseason. Jeremiah Ledbetter would become expendable if Jordan Jefferson takes the next step. Seventh-round edge Myles Cole is a physical freak but I think he’s a practice squad guy.

Linebacker

JSC: This was simple. Yasir Abdullah is the bubble guy but he has a skillset that can be used on defense. The rest are no brainers.

JB: Abdullah basically had a redshirt season as a rookie but the Jaguars are going to need either him or oft-injured draftmate Ventrell Miller to take major strides this season. Johnson is in on my final 53. From the first day, he’s been impossible to miss in camp.

Defensive backs

JSC: The DB room was pretty simple. Andrew Wingard being hurt didn’t help but they will slide him onto IR and then keep Terrell Edmunds who has been on a tear during the preseason.

JB: No change in my safeties but I did add Christian Braswell. His hustle play in Week 1 of the preseason against the Chiefs where he stripped the ball from a receiver did it for me. I like Montaric Brown, too. He made my spring 53-man and I think the Jaguars hold on to him here. Edmunds was my painful cut here. Ten players in the secondary is a lot, but Wingard and Gipson don’t count against the 53-man at this point.

Specialists

JSC: No surprises. Cam Little secured the kicking job quickly

JB: Same as before. The most anticlimactic position grouping on the team.

Practice squad