Four Jaguars on the bubble heading to training camp

Which veterans on the current Jaguars roster are fighting to keep their spot for the 2019 season?

The Jacksonville Jaguars are reshaping their roster with new players. This could mean the end of the line for veterans who are fighting for their spot on the team.

I was a bit surprised to see the Jacksonville Jaguars release quarterback Cody Kessler this past week, but it speaks to how the team wants it’s 2019 roster to look.

Kessler was less than spectacular as a part-time starter in an injury-riddled 5-11 season in 2018. Now that the Jaguars have released both quarterbacks from last season, this franchise really does start anew.

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Nick Foles takes over under center, with three signal callers fighting for the right to be his back up. Like I wrote yesterday, I’m betting on Gardner Minshew to win that job as a rookie.

The changes to the roster are not complete, as the team continues to add and subtract players during the off-season. I expect more will happen in addition to the roster cuts made prior to the start of the regular season.

There are some veterans who could be on the outside looking in when it comes to securing a place on the team. It would not shock me if these players or others are looking for a new team to call their own in 2019.

Will Richardson – When the Jaguars took Will Richardson in the fourth round of the Draft last season, we all thought it was to eventually replace Jermey Parnell at right tackle.

Injuries cut Richardson’s rookie season off and he never saw the field during the regular season.

Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone told me prior to the NFL Draft that Richardson had some work to do this offseason. It’s a little early to give up on a second-year player, but the additions in free agency and Jawaan Taylor in the second round of the Draft last month may change that.

Keelan Cole – I am not sure how this wide receiver group breaks down in terms of positioning, but I do know the Jaguars need a better season from Keelan Cole.

If there is one pass catcher who is under the microscope more than any other, Cole is it. After looking like a Pro Bowl player the first two weeks of the season, Cole became a non-factor in the team’s offense. He dropped too many passes and did not live up to the potential thought of him before the season started.

The Jaguars want DJ Chark do you have a bigger role in the offense this year and brought in Chris Conley from Kansas City. There’s a familiarity with Foles should pay off handsomely.

If you look at the depth chart right now, Cole may be the fourth or fifth receiver on the list. His saving grace may be the health concerns of Marqise Lee, who may not be back to practice until late in the preseason.

Cole might be one of the final player decisions the team makes in August.

Ben Koyack – The veteran continues to find a way onto the Jaguars roster. Last season, the team brought him back due to injuries at the position. This year, with changes in the tight end room, it will be hard for Ben Koyack to find a spot on the roster.

Koyack will forever live in Jaguars lore for the 1-yard touchdown catch to beat the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round of the 2017 playoffs. He had no catches last season and is more of a blocking tight end with few opportunities to touch the football.

I can’t see him here this season and should be a roster cut in the preseason.