Training camp is here, and the Jacksonville Jaguars will need to get the most out of it if they want to defend their AFC South title and make the playoffs next season. While the coaching staff prepares the players, the front office will be tasked with selecting the best 53.
This doesn't bode well for a handful of players who struggled to stand out in the offseason program and find themselves on the hot seat to start training camp. These five come to mind.
Hunter Long, Jaguars tight end
The Jaguars released Evan Engram in 2025 to pave the way for Brenton Strange, but they needed reinforcements at tight end to round out their depth chart. Jacksonville ended up signing Johnny Mundt and Hunter Long in free agency. Quintin Morris joined the group after the draft. Fast forward to 2026, and Mundt is already gone. Hunter Long could be next.
Long was a fine backup in 2025, but Morris moved ahead of him on the depth chart as the year progressed. Couple that with the fact that Jacksonville drafted a pair of tight ends in Tanner Koziol and Nate Boerkircher, and Long may be the odd man out. That said, Morris' seat could also be hot, especially if the Jags plan to keep just three tight ends on the roster.
Ameer Abdullah, Jagurars running back
Running back wasn't necessarily a need for the Jaguars even after losing Travis Etienne in free agency. However, the team's brass saw the chance to ink Ameer Abdullah and took it. The signing makes sense when you take into account that Abdullah is a grizzled veteran who can catch the football out of the backfield and contribute on special teams. Those traits could be handy if the former Nebraska Cornhusker sticks around, but he'll have his work cut out.
Abdullah will likely have to beat fellow veteran DeeJay Dallas and J'Mari Taylor to earn a roster spot. That could prove to be a tall order. Dallas was with the team in 2025 and got a new deal earlier this year. Taylor showed explosiveness in the offseason program and has the higher ceiling of the three.
When you add it all up, Abdullah could be the victim of the numbers game.
Christian Braswell, Jaguars cornerback
Since the Jaguars drafted him in 2023, Christian Braswell has been a solid depth piece. He's been on and off the roster, but would have had a good shot at making the team if it weren't for the fact that sophomore Jabbar Muhammad has displayed substantial improvement from last year.
It didn't help that Brasswell struggled in minicamp. Then again, he mostly went against the starters while Muhammad practiced with the second and third team. If he can bounce back in training camp, he'll have a chance. If not, he may not be around after cutdown day.
Chuma Edoga, Jaguars offensive lineman
The Jaguars signed Chuma Edoga to bolster the depth on the offensive line in 2025. He made a strong impression during the offseason and kept making strides during training camp. But the regular season came, and the former USC Trojan struggled. By the end of the year, he barely got any playing time, so it wasn't surprising to see him come up as a potential cap casualty in the 2026 offseason.
Surprisingly, Edoga is still around, so he will have a chance to make a bid for a roster spot in training camp. With sophomore Wyatt Milum and rookie Emmanuel Pregnon around, he'll be under pressure to deliver.
Patrick Mekari, Jaguars right guard
Chuma Edoga isn't the only Jaguars hog molly who finds himself on the hot seat. Patrick Mekari also needs to show out in training camp if he doesn't want to lose his starting job. In 2025, Mekari signed a three-year deal worth $37.5 million with Jacksonville to start at right guard. He struggled, in part because he made the switch to the right side after playing left guard the year prior. The former California Golden Bear also dealt with injuries that hindered his production.
Mekari already missed time in the offseason program, and if he can't bounce back, he could be at risk of being phased out in favor of Wyatt Mium.
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