The Jacksonville Jaguars held the first of two joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The starters took advantage of the opportunity to get plenty of work done. This, in turn, will pave the way for several players on the fringe to get ample playing time in the preseason finale.
While the team's brass has most definitely sorted out most of the roster, a few spots could be up for grabs. The preseason finale against the Bucs will give a handful of players one last chance to make an impression before cutdown day.
With this in mind, here five players on the roster bubble ahead of Week 3 of the preseason.
5 Jaguars on the fringe competing for a roster spot in the preseason finale
Quintin Morris, tight end
Quintin Morris joined the Jaguars after the 2025 NFL Draft. He began the regular season on their practice squad and was later signed to the active roster. The Bowling Green product inked a one-year deal early in 2026 to return to Duval and seemed to be a lock to make the team next season. That's no longer the case.
Leaving aside that Jacksonville drafted Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol, Morris didn't do much of note in the offseason program and later in training camp. Things haven't been any different in the preseason for the veteran tight end, as he's logged just one reception for six yards.
Granted, Morris' strength is as a blocker, but the Jags would also need him to contribute as a pass catcher from time to time. He hasn't shown he can take on that role.
J'Mari Taylor, running back
While DeeJay Dallas has been unremarkable in the preseason, J'Mari Taylor hasn't been great either. Sure, he had a few long runs in the opener but didn't stand out against the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. On top of that, the former Virginia Cavalier hasn't shown he could be a reliable pass blocker or a pass catcher out of the backfield.
Meanwhile, veteran Ameer Abdullah watched his stock skyrocket after a strong showing in Week 2 of the preseason.
Austin Trammell, wide receiver
Austin Trammell landed with the Jaguars in 2024 and outlasted the Doug Pederson regime. He made the initial 53-man roster (although he was cut not long after) and is looking to crack the team for the second year in a row. The trouble is that the former Rice Owl is stuck behind CJ Williams and Josh Cameron.
Working in Trammell's favor is that he can handle return duties. On the other hand, he doesn't stand out at anything in particular — the proverbial jack of all trades but master of none. When you take into account that Cameron and Williams have a bigger upside, Trammell appears to be on the outside looking in.
Zach Durfee, defensive end
Dubbed prospect X coming out of college, Zach Durfee had his moments in training camp but wasn't able to build momentum in the preseason. Thus far, the former Washington Huskey has logged just two tackles on 20 defensive snaps.
Maybe Durfee can break out in the preseason finale, but at this point, he looks like a candidate for the practice squad. There, he can continue honing his skills and potentially make a bid for a roster spot next year.
Jahlani Tavai, linebacker
Jack Kiser suffered an injury early in training camp. The Jaguars signed Amari Bourney and Jahlani Tavai not long after. Both of them have gotten lots of playing time in the preseason, but the latter has done enough to make you think that he actually has a shot at securing a roster spot.
Tavai has shown he can get after the quarterback, racking up five pressures in two preseason games. It also helps that Jacksonville is dealing with injuries at linebacker, but he could most definitely sneak onto the 53-man roster. In fact, he may have the best chance of all the players on this list.
Add us as a preferred source on Google