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Jaguars Close Preseason with Intrastate Clash Against Buccaneers
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- Jaguars Close Preseason with Intrastate Clash Against Buccaneers
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The long wait for the beginning of the NFL regular season is almost over.
However, before the real games get here, the Jacksonville Jaguars still have one more preseason game to play. The Jaguars will be closing out their preseason at home in an intrastate clash against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday at 7:30 PM.
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While Jacksonville's starters won't be playing, the players who are fighting for a roster spot or looking to lock down their roles as backups will get one last chance to prove their worth.
Every NFL team must trim its roster from 90 to 53 by 6:00 PM Sunday, which means the Jaguars will have less than 48 hours after this game ends to make their final decisions.
Several jobs will be on the line Friday night, and the players who don't make the cut must hope that they have shown enough to either warrant a spot on the practice squad or be picked up by another team.
The pressure on these players to perform at their best against the Bucs is enormous.
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Let's take a look at some of the players who will have the most on the line Friday night.
Carter Bradley Or Joey Aguilar For QB3?
The battle between Carter Bradley and Joey Aguilar to be Jacksonville's QB3 has really heated up over the past week. While Bradley has the experience edge over undrafted rookie Aguilar, he hasn't played nearly as well.
Bradley has thrown an interception in each of the Jaguars' first two preseason contests. Over the two games, Bradley has completed only 16 of 30 passes for 156 yards. He has one touchdown versus the pair of interceptions.
After attempting only one pass in Jacksonville's first preseason game (a 43-yard completion which set up the game-winning TD), Aguilar was outstanding last weekend against the Carolina Panthers , going 9-for-10 for 130 yards and a touchdown.
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If Aguilar outplays Bradley again, he will likely become Jacksonville's preferred QB to develop. Even though both are likely competing for a spot on the Jaguars' practice squad, their jobs are on the line Friday night. One will likely continue his career in Jacksonville, while the other will likely have to look for work elsewhere.
Running Back Battle
With third-down running back LeQuint Allen Jr. injured , there may be an opening in the Jaguars' backfield. Allen's status for Week 1 is still unknown. Undrafted rookie J'Mari Taylor and grizzled veteran Ameer Abdullah have taken turns looking like the RB Jacksonville should keep.
Taylor was the Jaguars' workhorse in their preseason-opening victory over the New Orleans Saints . He rushed 22 times for 78 yards and scored the game-winning TD. Without Taylor's efforts, Jacksonville would have had zero chance of winning that game.
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However, Taylor couldn't build upon that performance in last week's game against the Panthers. This time, it was Abdullah's turn to shine. The 33-year-old rushed six times for 45 yards, including an impressive 23-yard scamper with the Jaguars backed up against their own goal line. He added three receptions for an additional 37 yards.
The battle between Taylor and Abdullah will likely go down to the wire. Each will have an opportunity to separate himself from the other against Tampa . The team must decide between Taylor's youth and upside and Abdullah's experience and natural fit as a substitute for Allen.
Other Undrafted Rookies Making Waves
In addition to Aguilar and Taylor, there are a couple of other undrafted rookies who have been making waves.
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Wide receiver Trebor Pena has been one of Jacksonville's best offensive players this preseason. In the team's first game, he caught three passes for 58 yards, including Aguilar's 43-yard pass. He followed that up with a 4-catch, 72-yard performance last week, including a 29-yard score.
Unfortunately for Pena, the Jaguars are absolutely loaded at receiver, but the rookie will probably be a priority addition to the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. (not WR Brian Thomas Jr. ) has also flashed enough to warrant roster consideration.
He was outstanding against the Saints, notching four tackles, a sack, and a pair of QB hits. Thomas followed with another solid showing against Carolina, recording three solo tackles.
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With the Jaguars looking for pass rushers to complement star edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker , another strong performance from Thomas could see him make the 53-man roster.
Final Thoughts
Expect lots of effort and intensity from the Jaguars on Friday. Players will be making their closing arguments for why they deserve to be on the team.
Jacksonville will have a lot of tough decisions to make over the weekend. This is a nerve-wracking time to be an NFL player, as scores of players will unfortunately have their NFL dreams crushed and jobs taken away.
Hopefully, the players can play at their best and either earn their spot on the Jaguars or land with another team. As always, hopefully the Jaguars can come out of this game healthy.
Next stop: the regular season.
