Game Balls From Jaguars' Easy Preseason Win Over the Buccaneers: Michael Wortham's Night

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Game Balls From Jaguars' Easy Preseason Win Over the Buccaneers: Michael Wortham's Night

michael wortha — Aug 28, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Michael Wortham (0) celebrates a punt return touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

John Shipley · Jacksonville Jaguars On SI

Sat, Aug 29, 2026 ·

5 min read

Offense: Hunter Long

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Hunter Long (84) looks on during a joint BuccaneersJaguars NFL practice at the Miller Electric Center on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There are a few different options here. We will get to Michael Wortham in a bit, but he tied for the lead in receiving with three catches for 47 yards. Nick Mullens and Joey Aguilar both had some efficient outings as well, while J'Mari Taylor led the team with 52 yards from scrimmage. But with that in mind, we are going to with Jaguars tight end Hunter Long, who tied with Wortham for the receiving yards lead despite just two catches.

Long was able to put together this performance thanks to a 34-yard catch-and-run early in the game that ended up being the biggest play by made by either team's offense. Add in an impressive 13-yard catch over the middle and I think Long had one of his best showings with the Jaguars in terms of showing off his ceiling and potential.

Defense: Bryan Thomas Jr.:

Aug 28, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. (57) reacts with tight end Hunter Long (84) and defensive tackle Jalen Hunt (96) after a sack against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter during preseason at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Well, this one was easy. There were other members of the Jaguars' defense who played well on Friday night, such as linebacker Jalen McLeod (seven tackles, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit) and defensive tackle T.J. Bollers (1.5 sacks), but no defensive player made quite the impact that undrafted defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. made. It felt like the third week in a row where the South Carolina product was once again all over the field, both against the run and the pass.

Thomas finished the night with 2.5 sacks, four quarterback hits and a pass deflection. He had a strip-sack that was ruled an incomplete pass as well, putting him right there in the position to record 3.5 sacks. No matter the context of the game, that is an impressive outing. Thomas has made his bid for the 53-man roster.

I always play with a sense of urgency. I always play with effort. I learned that from my pops. He played in the league for a lot of years. I learned that from him, running to the ball, having a lot of effort and creating plays.

Special Teams: Michael Wortham

Aug 28, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Michael Wortham (0) is stopped by Tampa Bay Buccaneers punter Riley Dixon (9) on a punt return in the fourth quarter during preseason at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It felt like Jaguars undrafted rookie wide receiver Michael Wortham was close to breaking a big return all night long. We have long known just how dynamic of a threat he is with the ball in his hands, but he proved it in a massive way on Friday with returns of 19 and 29 yards before his 63-yard return with just a few minutes left in the game. Wortham has earned praise from head coach Liam Coen two weeks in a row, and now he made a significant play to showcase what he can do on special teams. He is worth keeping around on the practice squad.

"I kept my head down, kept working, man. Learning from the guys in front of me. Sometimes you just don't get your way. Sometimes you're low on the depth chart, but it's what you do with your opportunity to get in," Wortham said after the game. "That's just kind of my mindset. I'm not going to sit here and pout. I know how it is and I've got to earn my stripes. So like I said, just learning from the guys, keeping my head down and I just want to be able to learn, line up, do my assignment and just keep going.

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