JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- With the preseason officially coming to a close for the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , it is time to take one last look at the Jaguars' preseason finale.
So, which Jaguars backups will we watch tonight after a week of joint practices with the Buccaneers? We break it all down below.
Aug 15, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back J'mari Taylor (30) is tackled by New Orleans Saints defensive end Michael Heldman (63) during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
I am fascinated to see how the Jaguars use J'Mari Taylor tonight. He got almost zero run against the Carolina Panthers last week, and the only real reason I can think of is that perhaps the Jaguars have already decided on him as their practice squad running back and do not want to waive him with a lot of preseason tape for other teams to watch. But now that we are in the final week of the preseason, I am not sure they can go back to that well without playing Ameer Abdullah.
I have been impressed by Taylor in camp, though I do think it is clear that he is another year away from really pushing for a roster spot. But with the preseason finale here, the Jaguars will now have to decide just how much more they need to see out of the undrafted rookie entering the weekend of 53-man roster cuts.
Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Jalen McLeod (35) sprints during the third day of minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
I think there is a real chance that Friday's preseason game could decide whether the Jaguars' 53-man roster consists of Jalen McLeod or Yasir Abdullah at the final linebacker spot. McLeod has not played in the preseason so far, but he has flashed plenty of defensive upside when on the practice field this summer. As for Abdullah, he is a proven special teams ace who the Jaguars know what they are getting with.
If McLeod can make an impact tonight against the Buccaneers while on defense, then that may be all he has to do to win his spot entering his second season. The traits and flashes are there with McLeod, but it is time to see him both put it together and stay on the field healthy in the process. If he can do that, his spot might be secured.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Zach Durfee (58) hits the blocking sled during the sixth day of NFL training camp at the Miller Electric Center on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
With the way Bryan Thomas Jr. has burst onto the scene as a backup pass-rusher this preseason, it feels like Zach Durfee could really use a solid night against the Buccaneers. Durfee has natural traits as a pass-rusher and built a ton of momentum at the start of camp before being sidelined for a few practices, and in the meantime we saw Thomas Jr. thrive.
Durfee has the ability to impact the passer and should be a player who, when healthy, thrives in these kinds of settings. If he has a good night rushing the passer on Friday night, then he could be a tough player for the Jaguars to decide to cut, even with the flashes that Thomas has consistently shown throughout training camp.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Joey Aguilar (17) fakes the hand off during Day 15 of NFL training camp at the Miller Electric Center on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
I think that the winner of the battle to be the Jaguars' QB3 will be established tonight. I think that Joey Aguilar should be leading the race considering his effectiveness the last few weeks, combined with the struggles from Carter Bradley. But I also believe it is probably too early to count Bradley out since there is an entire game remaining.
Aguilar has played mostly cleanup for the Jaguars this preseason, and I think the Jaguars could get some answers by reversing the order in which the backup passers enter the game tonight. But no matter who gets the starting nod, it is clear that a clean performance for either would go a long, long way.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/onsi as 5 Jaguars to Watch in Preseason Finale vs. Buccaneers: The J'Mari Taylor Question .
