5 Jacksonville Jaguars to watch in their first preseason game

Jacksonville Jaguars player to watch No. 4 – QB Jake Luton

Trevor Lawrence will make his preseason debut Saturday but he won’t be the only Jaguars signal-caller to keep an eye on. After all, he will probably play just a couple of series. If this were the regular season, this could be a cause of concern. Gardner Minshew will most likely get the starting nod but he won’t play the whole game either. The coaching staff will probably have pulled both by the start of the third quarter. That’s when C.J. Beathard and sophomore Jake Luton will take over.

This matchup will be of particular importance to Luton, who is currently behind Beathart on the depth chart. It’s uncertain if the Jaguars want to carry two or three quarterbacks into the season. But Luton currently looks like the odd man out and will benefit from a solid performance. On Day 13 of training camp, he completed a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jeff Cotton, per Ashlyn Sullivan of the team’s official website. More plays like that would ensure that he survives the incoming roster cuts.

Luton had a solid debut last season, completing 26-of-38 passes for 304 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Houston Texans Week 9. Nevertheless, he struggled in the following two games and was eventually benched. The Oregon State product could develop into a solid NFL backup but he needs to show the Jaguars that he’s improved since last year. Otherwise, it may not be worth giving him a roster spot.