The Jacksonville Jaguars could have a logjam at linebacker. Three sports are virtually guaranteed for Miller, team captain Foyesde Oluokun, and Dennis Gardeck, but it's hard to tell how the rest of the depth chart will look come Week 1. Sophomore Jack Kiser is expected to make a leap next season, while Yasir Abdullah is making a push to stick around. Rookie Parker Hughes is also doing his best to make an impression in the offseason program. Lost in the shuffle, though, is Branson Combs.
An undrafted free agent in 2025, Branson Combs landed on the practice squad to start the regular season but eventually made his way onto the active roster. He stood out because of his work on special teams but could be looking for a bigger role in Year 2.
While Miller and other linebackers are garnering more attention, Combs is doing his best not to go overlooked at mandatory minicamp.
Branson Combs is making a strong impression at Jaguars minicamp
Liam Coen met with the local media after Day 1 of mandatory minicamp and said that he's seen Branson Combs make huge strides, pointing out that he's an underrated athlete.
"Branson's a guy, obviously, that we had a lot of like for last year," Coen responded when asked about Combs. "He was close to getting claimed; we ended up putting him on the active roster. And he may win the Iron Jag of the year at this pace. I know he's leading the group right now and leading the team in the individual award. Just low-key, he's pretty athletic, like he's explosive, he can do multiple different things in terms of coverage abilities, whether it's in man or zone. I like him in coverage."
Coen continued, "I think he's done a nice job with Foye not getting as many reps in some of the team settings, with he and Jack having to get more of those. So, being able to communicate at a high level is what he's needed."
Aside from Coen's praise, Combs also stood out in practice because he batted a pass intended for running back DeeJay Dallas in the red zone. Below's Coen's full exchange with the media. His remarks about the second-year starter start at the 3:08 mark.
Branson Combs still has work to do to make the Jaguars roster
At this point, Branson Combs is a toss-up to make the team. Jack Kiser appears to be the favorite to be the primary backup at linebacker, while Parker Hughes could have an edge by virtue of being drafted. Similarly, veteran Yasir Abdullah is a mainstay of special teams and has seen playing time on defense.
If the Jaguars keep five linebackers in 2026, Combs will have to outperform Abdullah and Hughes and build off his strong start to minicamp. That's doable, but it won't necessarily be a walk in the park. Then again, he's done enough dating back to his rookie season to make you think that he can come out on top.
There are different ways the competition at linebacker could play out, but Branson Combs should most definitely feel good about his chance. The fact that Liam Coen propped him up makes it clear that he's in the thick of the battle.
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