The Jacksonville Jaguars trimmed down their roster from 90 to 85 players last Tuesday. However, they will need to get to 53 on August the 31st. While several players have solidified their position on the depth chart over the last few weeks, others will need to show out in the following two preseason games to ensure they aren’t left out.
Keep in mind that anything can happen between now and the last round of cuts. These five Jaguars have seen their stock take a hit over the last few weeks and if tight end Tim Tebow hadn’t been released earlier this week, he would probably have been on this list too.
Jacksonville Jaguars player tumbling down No. 1 – Safety Daniel Thomas
Safety Daniel Thomas showed promise as a rookie in 2020. He made his way up the depth chart and started two games before an arm injury cut his season short. This offseason, he was a strong candidate to compete for a spot in the starting lineup but he hasn’t practiced in recent days and missed the Jags’ preseason opener.
Thomas was placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list on August 6th and hasn’t fully come back. As recently as Monday, he was doing conditioning work on the sidelines, per John Shipley of Jaguar Report. This means that he could return to practice soon but he will need to catch up to speed. The second-year safety isn’t currently on the roster bubble but he isn’t at the top of the depth chart either.
Jacksonville Jaguars player tumbling down No. 2 – DT Taven Bryan
When the Jaguars selected defensive tackle Taven Bryan with the 29th overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, they thought they were getting a difference-maker. After three years, it’s fair to say that they dropped the ball, as the Florida product has been a non-factor. Earlier this year, the team’s brass declined to exercise the fifth-year option on his rookie deal and is now set to become a free agent in 2022.
Heading into the 2021 season, Bryan could be on the roster bubble. Head coach Urban Meyer said the team wants to keep him and defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi believes he has the tools to turn into a playmaker. However, he hasn’t been able to turn that potential into steady production over the last three seasons.
Working against Bryan is the fact that he missed a good chunk of training camp and the Jags’ first preseason game. First, he was involved in an off-field accident. Later, he landed on the COVID-19/Reserve list. Meanwhile, sophomore DaVon Hamilton has made the most of his playing time and it looks like a good bet to be part of the Jags’ starting defensive front.
On the bright side, Bryan returned to practice on August 15th, and head coach Urban Meyer says he is practicing at full speed. The defensive tackle still has a few days to make up some ground. However, the clock is ticking and the window of opportunity to show to live up to his first-round status is closing by the day.
Jacksonville Jaguars player tumbling down No. 3 – OT Cam Robinson
Left tackle Cam Robinson‘s stock isn’t necessarily plummeting and he’s not in danger of being cut. But he’s probably looking over his shoulders. Earlier this year, offensive line coach George Warhop told the local media that the 2017 second-round selection had been making strides but he still needed to be more consistent in pass blocking.
Robinson had a solid preseason debut, giving just one pressure. However, the Jaguars’ coaching staff gave rookie Walker Little plenty of playing time against the Cleveland Browns. The Stanford product appeared in a team-high 49 offensive snaps and posted a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 72.5 while Robinson earned a 57.9 PFF overall grade in 18 snaps. Granted, Robinson is a veteran and doesn’t need as much playing time in the preseason as Little but it’s still worth noting.
Earlier this year, the Jaguars applied the franchise on Robinson. At the time, head coach Urban Meyer said the team would like to see a long-term deal get done but hasn’t revised the issue since then. But Jacksonville may be better off taking a wait-and-see approach. What if Little ends up seizing the starting job before the end of the 2021 season? Also, the Alabama product has been inconsistent over his four-year career, never giving up at least 40 pressures in three of the last four seasons.
Robinson won’t just hand the starting job to Little but he should definitely be on notice. The Jags’ coaching staff won’t hesitate to bench him in favor of the rookie if he struggles in 2021.
Jacksonville Jaguars player tumbling down No. 4 – CB Tyson Campbell
Rookie Tyson Campbell took advantage of cornerback C.J. Henderson’s extended absence in training camp. The Georgia product spent time with the first-team defense and seemed poised to compete for the starting job opposite Shaquill Griffin. Alas, he gave up a touchdown reception against the Brown in Week 1 of the preseason.
Now, it’s not the end of the world and you can’t undo all the work Campbell has put in throughout the offseason just because of a bad play but his path to the starting lineup won’t be automatic. Especially, when you take into account that Henderson started practicing last week and has gotten back on track since then.
The Jaguars have plenty of depth at cornerback but other than Griffin, it’s uncertain who’s going to start in Week 1 of the regular season. Henderson currently seems like the frontrunner but Sidney Jones has also had a productive training camp.
On the other hand, Tre Herndon suffered an MCL sprain and is currently week-to-week. Before the injury, he was poised to start on the slot but Campbell will now have the chance to take his place. Campbell would still have to compete for the nickel job but he still has a chance to start in the season opener.
Even if the former Bulldog doesn’t start in Week 1, might still see the field often. The Jaguars’ didn’t select him in Round 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft just to keep him on the bench. Still, Campbell needs to shine in the next two games.
Jacksonville Jaguars player tumbling down No. 5 – QB Gardner Minshew
Ever since the Jaguars took Trevor Lawrence with the first overall selection, there’s little doubt he will be their starting quarterback in Week 1. After all, you don’t pick a quarterback high in the draft just to have him hold a clipboard on the sidelines. Although the Clemson product didn’t have an outstanding preseason debut, he didn’t have a meltdown either. Head coach Urban Meyer told the local media that there’s a decent chance the rookie passer will get the starting nod against the New Orleans Saints.
Also, it’s just a matter of time before the Jags officially name Lawrence the starter. What does this mean for Gardner Minshew? The 2019 sixth-round pick is currently entrenched as quarterback number two on the depth chart. Even though they’ve split reps with the first-team offense, he’s not probably in consideration for the starting job. The fact that he went 4-of-8 for 47 yards and no touchdowns against Cleveland didn’t help his cause.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Minshew wanted to compete for a starting job but that may not be feasible in Jacksonville, so he might only get his chance if he’s traded. Keep in mind that the former Cougar is one of the best backups in the league and he wouldn’t have a shortage of suitors if the Jags were actively shopping him. However, his stock took a hit after Saturday’s game, and would benefit from having a superb performance against New Orleans.