Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cincinnati Bengals: studs
By Luke Sims
Tashaun Gipson, free safety, Jacksonville Jaguars
Tashaun Gipson hasn’t proven to be the ballhawk free safety the Jaguars need just yet. He was dominant in two of the past three seasons while playing with the Cleveland Browns and the Jags are hoping he can rebound.
Still, even without interceptions, Gipson has clearly been an improvement to this defense.
Against the Cincinnati Bengals, Gipson was all over the field. He was in on numerous tackles and when the play finished he was always nearby. Finishing the night with four tackles doesn’t seem like a lot, but on a starting defense that struggled, Gipson was one of the few who seemed to be doing his job well.
Gipson’s preseason has been quiet to this point, but if he keeps stepping up the Jags could see that rebound they’re hoping for.
Joe Banyard, running back, Jacksonville Jaguars
Joe Banyard is a player I really liked and hoped would catch on with the Minnesota Vikings in 2015. He was a late cut, but he did enough to intrigue which led him to the Jags’ practice squad last season and actually made it up to third string on the depth chart.
Now he’s out to make the full roster at a crowded position. Ahead of Banyard are Denard Robinson, T.J. Yeldon, and Chris Ivory. Banyard needs to be impressive to run with that group.
Fortunately, his performance in the third preseason game was just that. Posting 54 yards on 11 carries and adding a touchdown for good measure, Banyard was the most effective running back on the Jags roster. He ran well, fought for yards, and was capable of being explosive as well (a long of 16 yards on the ground. It was good to see out of the running back.
Whether his performance will be enough to keep him around is yet to be seen. Fellow running back Corey Grant offers a lot of special teams value that Banyard can’t match.
Next: 3 & 4