With rookie minicamp in the books, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be turning their attention to Organized Team Activities. While full pads and contacts remain prohibited, they'll be able to turn things up a notch, as they'll now be able to able to run 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills. That will allow the Jags to begin installing the playbook and assess the roster.
Evaluations will go on until the preseason finale, but a handful of position battles will begin to take shape in OTAs. With that in mind, here are the five most intriguing position battles the Jaguars will hold in 2025.
Jaguars No. 1 running back: Tank Bigsby, Travis Etienne, Bhayshul Tuten
Travis Etienne ran for more than 1,000 yards in 2022 and 2023, but Tank Bigsby outplayed him last year. Nevertheless, the team's brass isn't reportedly high on either one, so rookie Bhayshul Tuten may have a realistic shot at being RB1 in Jacksonville next season.
Tuten will need to fix his fumble issues but has the speed and game-changing skills to make a strong impression. Having said that, Etienne and Bigsby won't go down without a fight. The former may have an edge by virtue of having the most experience of the three, but the latter showed in 2024 that he can take on a full workload.
The one thing that could define this battle is how the trio fares in passing downs. Etienne isn't much of a blocker, and Bigsby doesn't contribute as a receiver out of the backfield. That could give Tuten a small opening.
Jaguars starting left tackle: Walker Little, Fred Johnson
Throughout the rumblings, there have been rumblings that Walker Little may need to compete for the starting spot at left tackle despite the fact that he signed a three-year deal worth $45 million in 2024. This makes sense when you take into account that the new regime inherited him, and making a handful of players compete will raise the team's overall ceiling.
In Little's case, he would need to fend off free-agent acquisition Fred Johnson, who stepped in Jordan Mailata's place during the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl run. Little has fared well whenever he's started, so he should have the leg up. Then again, you cannot overlook Johnson.
Jaguars starting linebacker: Ventrell Miller, Devin Lloyd, Jack Kiser
Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile has been part of 3-4 and 4-3 schemes throughout his coaching career but will probably run a mix of both in Jacksonville. But even if he runs a 4-3, NFL defenses nowadays have three cornerbacks on the football field.
This is a long-winded way to say that the Jags won't deploy three linebackers often. Given that one spot will likely be earmarked for Foyesade Oluokun, Ventrell Miller, Devin Lloyd, and Jack Kiser will need to compete for the other one.
Miller outplayed Lloyd last season and may have the more upside of the two, but both of them will get a fresh start under the new regime. Kiser will be the dark horse, but making a strong impression in OTAs could help him earn more reps in training camp.
Jaguars safety: Darnell Savage, Caleb Ransaw, Antonio Johnson
The Jaguars made several additions at safety in the offseason. They signed Eric Murray in free agency and later used a pair of draft picks on Caleb Ransaw and Rayuan Lane. Murray will start at one spot to stabilize the defensive backfield, but the spot next to him could be up for grabs.
The team's brass is high on Ransaw, but he'll be switching from cornerback to safety, so he may need a bit of time to make the adjustment. Darnell Savage, on the other hand, played well in 2024 once he switched to safety after lining up at nickel early in the season. Also in the mix is Antonio Johnson, who flashed as a rookie but was on and off the starting lineup last year.
At this point, all three may be on equal footing, but one of them could separate himself from the bunch by the end of OTAs.
Jaguars left guard: Ezra Cleveland, Wyatt Milum
The Jaguars prioritized beefing up the offensive line in the offseason. They signed Robert Hainsey and Patrick Mekari to start at center and right guard, respectively, and as noted before, offensive tackles Walker Little and Anton Harrison may need to compete for their jobs. The fifth starting job up front could also be open.
Jacksonville traded for Ezra Cleveland in 2023 because they have a glaring need at left guard. He then got a three-year deal worth $24 million last offseason. He was unremarkable last year and hasn't been able to shake off the injury bug. That probably was a big reason the Jags drafted Wyatt Milum, who lined up at left tackle at West Virginia but will be moving inside in Duval.
The Jaguars value Milum's toughness and versatility, and while he'll have an uphill battle to seize a starting job, he'll get a legitimate shot.