The Jacksonville Jaguars are just a few days away from flying to Louisiana to take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 of the 2021 NFL preseason. However, the Jags have yet to name a starter and it doesn’t seem like they are in a hurry to do so.
On Thursday, Jaguars offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said Trevor Lawrence would probably get the starting nod against the Saints but nothing is written on stone yet. Then again, the rookie passer took first-team reps on Friday, per Jordan De Lugo of Generation Jaguar, so it looks like he’s trending towards starting.
Head coach Urban Meyer met with the local media on Day 17 of training camp and touched on several topics. He said the coaching staff would meet on Saturday to discuss who would start on Monday. He mentioned the health of the team as a factor they will take into consideration.
Meyer noted that once Lawrence earns the starting job, he will get every single rep with the first team.
"If he wins it, which hasn’t happened yet. As soon as that happens, you give him the one reps, all the one reps."
When asked what he needs to see in the rookie signal-caller or Gardner Minshew, the Jaguars head coach mentioned competition and performance. He did say that he has a time frame about when they will name a starter.
"I do [have a timeline] in my mind but it’s a conversation that three people are having daily."
A good performance against New Orleans will help Lawrence solidify his case for the starting job. Even though the Jaguars have a few more days before they make a decision, the clock is ticking as the regular season inches closer.
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ cornerback room has pretty good depth.
The Jaguars did a good job of upgrading their cornerback room this offseason. Besides re-signing Tre Herndon and Sidney Jones, they locked up Shaquille Griffin in free agency and drafted Tyson Campbell. The Jags’ depth at the position has been put to test in recent weeks.
Second-year cornerback C.J. Henderson missed a good chunk of training camp after landing in the COVID-19/Reserve list in late July. Campbell took advantage of Henderson’s absence and got a big workload. The sophomore is back at practice and is vying for the starting job opposite Griffin but Herndon suffered an MCL strain. He will probably miss the Jags’ preseason game against the Saints and is week-to-week.
Once again, Campbell could get a significant amount of snaps in Herndon’s place. On the other hand, the coaching staff can also count on Jones. The 2017 second-round pick quickly became a key cog in the Jags’ secondary in 2020 and was enjoying a career revival before an Achilles injury cut his season short. He’s managed to stay healthy this year and could easily slide into a starting role.
Last season, injuries exposed Jacksonville’s lack of depth and inexperience at cornerback. They had to rely on undrafted rookie Luq Barcoo and Greb Mabin because they had nobody else to turn to. Depth is no longer an issue, as the Jaguars have shown they can withstand a few lesions this offseason. Although their cornerback group isn’t a strength per se, it won’t be a liability either in 2021.
How will the Jacksonville Jaguars’ interior O-Line fare versus the Saints?
Cam Robinson and Jawaan Taylor have made strides this offseason but if either offensive tackle needed to miss time, either Walker Little or Will Richardson could slide into the Jaguars’ starting lineup. What about the Jaguars’ interior offensive line though? Their depth will most likely be tested in Week 2 of the preseason.
Right guard A.J. Cann missed Friday’s practice and could miss Monday’s matchup. Head coach Urban Meyer said the veteran was out after having an inconclusive COVID-19 test. But because he’s vaccinated, he could return as soon as Saturday. Center Brandon Linder is dealing with patella tendonitis and won’t likely suit up against the Saints.
Then, there’s left guard Andrew Norwell, who missed the Jags’ Week 1 matchup and hasn’t practiced in several days. If there’s a silver lining is that sophomore Ben Bartch could step in for him. He played 26 offensive snaps against the Saints and posted a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 74.6. The 2020 fourth-round pick could use this opportunity to make an impression.
If Linder misses the game, which is likely, veteran Tyler Shatley will start once again. He worked with quarterback Trevor Lawrence on Friday, per Mia O’Brien of First Coast News. It looks like the coaching staff is preparing to be without Linder on Monday. If Cann is a “no go”, it will be interesting whom the Jaguars chose to take his place in the lineup. Third-year offensive lineman Darwin Gray is an option. The 2019 seventh-round selection played 41 snaps in the preseason opener.