Jaguars OLB Travor Walker’s impact vs. Raiders, other observations

NFL fans got their first taste of football when the Jacksonville Jaguars faced off against the Las Vegas Raiders in the Hall-of-Fame game. Although the contest was temporarily delayed due to severe weather, it ultimately went as planned.

The Jaguars lost 27-11. They will have their work cut out for them in the next few days. They’re scheduled to take on the Cleveland Brown on August 12th. For the time being, here are a few observations from the loss versus the Raiders.

4. Jaguars vs Raiders: Don’t put too much stock on the loss

Sure, the Jags would have surely preferred to come out of the game with a win but the truth is that it was always going to be hard for them to play at a high level. After all, they had only two padded practice before the game. Moreover, most of their projected starters didn’t suit up. For example, third-string quarterback Jake Luton got the starting nod with Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Beathard sitting this one out.

Something similar happened at running back. Snoop Conner and Mekhi Sargent had four and five carries, respectively. It simply didn’t make sense to expose Travis Etienne to injury while James Robison is still recovering from the torn Achilles he suffered late in the 2021 season.

The truth is that the Jaguars still have three preseason games left in their schedule and are still more than a month away from their regular-season debut. They have ample time to evaluate the roster and work on whatever issues they had against the Raiders.

3. Jaguars vs Raiders: The competition at kicker is far from over

The Jaguars waived undrafted free agent Andrew Mevis and brought in Elliot Fry to compete with Ryan Santoso for the kicker job. Fry ended up making his lone field goal against the Raiders, a 46-yard attempt. However, the battle is far from over.

Santoso missed a 60-yard kick against the Raiders but the attempt didn’t lack strength. Instead, it went wide right. Such a long kick isn’t easy to make, so he kind of gets a pass on this one. Having said that, he can’t afford to fail another one if he’s called upon against the Browns.

Keep in mind that Fry has failed to stick around in the NFL since 2019, so he really needs to show he’s better than Santoso to win the job. In the same manner, one kick won’t be the end for Santoso if he can bounce back moving forward.

The Jags moved on from Matthew Wright in the offseason because he struggled in kickoffs. However, it doesn’t seem like they have an appropriate replacement yet. Again, there’s still more than a month left before the regular season but the last thing the team’s brass wants is to be in a position to win a game and see whoever wins the kicker job miss the attempt.

Both Santoso and Fry still have time to claim the starting job but if neither one proves to be the answer, the Jaguars shouldn’t hesitate to look for outside help once again.

2. Jaguars vs. Raiders: Jacksonville must do a better job of stopping the run

Only a few starters suited up for the Jaguars in the Hall-of-Fame game, so it was unrealistic to expect a flawless performance against the Raiders. On offense, only right tackle Walker Little and center Rookie Fortner played with the first team, and they’re both competing for starting roles, so it wasn’t particularly shocking.

On defense, outside linebacker Travon Walker, cornerback Tyson Campbell, and defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton got the starting nod. Meanwhile, running back Josh Jacobs started for the Raiders and took advantage of the matchup. The Alabama product had five rushes for 30 yards but he wasn’t the only Las Vegas running back that had success toting the rock against the Jags.

Zamir White ran 11 times for 59 yards while Austin Waller had eight carries for 49 yards. All in all, the Raiders logged a combined 33 carries for 159 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Preseason or not, Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell isn’t surely pleased with his unit’s performance in the Hall of Fame game.

Again, the Jaguars were without many of their starters, and players such as rookie linebacker Chad Muma dip their toes in the NFL for the first time ever, so growing pains are expected. Having said that, the Jaguars had trouble stopping last year, and they surely don’t want to be in the same position in 2022, so they had better make sure they tighten things up upfront in the upcoming weeks.

1. Jaguars vs. Raiders: Travon Walker’s transition is going well so far

Fans will have to wait at least one more week to see Trevor Lawrence take the football field. The same is true for running back Travis Etienne. On the bright side, the Jaguars got to see rookie outside linebacker Travon Walker make his preseason debut after months of anticipation.

The Jags were severely criticized for taking Walker over Aidan Hutchinson first overall in this year’s draft. The biggest concern surrounding Waker is that he’s entering the NFL without much experience lining up at outside linebacker. Back in college, he was asked to play several positions across the defensive line and he hardly rushed the quarterback from a two-point stance.

The former Georgia Bulldog is now making the transition to outside linebacker, which could potentially accentuate his learning curve in the pros. On the bright side, he’s done everything he’s asked and hasn’t disappointed so far. Walker thrived in the first week of training camp and his success carried over into the Hall of Fame game.

Walker started the contest with a bang, pushing back and effectively beating Raiders offensive tackle Brandon Parker to hit quarterback Jarrett Stidham. He was flagged for roughing the passer but his strength and length were on full display. Later in the game, he did log a sack.

There’s still a long way to go before the Jaguars have an accurate read on Walker but they should be pleased with the early returns on their investment.