Before the Jacksonville Jaguars play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the preseason finale, they'll hold back-to-back joint practices with their intrastate rival. This will allow players to test themselves against top competition in a controlled environment. Moreover, it may be the last chance the starters will get substantial work before the regular season.
The Jags sat out most of their starters in the loss to the Carolina Panthers, and they'll probably do the same against the Bucs in the finale. This is why these five players need to get the most out of the joint practice.
5 Jaguars who need to have a strong showing in the Buccaneers joint practice
Trevor Lawrence, quarterback
Trevor Lawrence hasn't suited up for the first two preseason games and won't play in the finale. While No. 16 could most definitely get used to the speed of the game and feeling the rush, he is a grizzled veteran who doesn't need to be exposed to unnecessary injury risk.
On the other hand, Lawrence can't just go into the regular season without getting some work done. The joint practice will allow him to do just that. Parker Washington is back in practice after missing time with an undisclosed injury. The former Clemson Tiger will surely want to fine-tune his connection with Washington and Brian Thomas Jr. before the opener against the Cleveland Browns.
Parker Washington, wide receiver
Speaking of, Parker Washington was the talk of the town throughout training camp and the offseason program. He missed a handful of practices but is back in the fold. Given how much No. 11 likes to prepare, he won't mind getting as many reps as possible against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now, there's a chance the Jags will limit the amount of work Washington gets to prevent him from getting injured again. But regardless of the amount he gets, he'll want to go into the two-week break before the regular season ready to roll.
Emmanuel Pregnon, left guard
Early in the offseason program, Emmanuel Pregnon looked like a long shot to join the starting lineup. But with Ezra Cleveland moving to right guard, Pregnon is currently practicing with the first team. The former Oregon Duck has struggled at times throughout the preseason but has also shown talent.
A strong outing against the Buccaners in joint practices will help him solidify his bid for a starting job.
Travis Hunter, cornerback
Travis Hunter spent the offseason recovering from the knee injury he suffered in 2025. He returned in training camp and hasn't looked back. While he's gotten a few reps at receiver, the former Heisman Trophy winner has mostly gotten work at cornerback. Going against the Buccaneers receivers could most definitely help him hone his skills.
Christian Braswell, cornerback
Aside from Travis Hunter, other Jaguars cornerbacks will get plenty of work against Tampa, albeit for different reasons. While Hunter is firmly entrenched as the starter opposite Montaric Brown in the boundaries, Jabbar Muhammad and Christian Braswell are seemingly battling for the CB5 job.
Muhammad got an edge in training camp but has failed to stand out in the preseason. Braswell has also been inconsistent, so the competition could come down to the wire. If Braswell fares well in the joint practice, maybe he can close the gap and even get a bit of an edge. The same is true for Braswell, so you could make the case that both need to show out in the joint practices.
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