The Jacksonville Jaguars caught heat for letting linebacker Devin Lloyd walk in free agency. The criticism was understandable when you take into account that the 2022 first-round pick was a Second-Team All-Pro last year. However, the Jags believe that fourth-year pro Ventrell Miller will be a more than capable replacement.
But beyond Miller, Jacksonville has a well-rounded linebacker corps. Foyesade Oluokun remains a stud, and Dennis Gardeck is back in Duval after signing a two-year deal just before free agency. Parker Hughes, sophomore Jack Kiser, Brandon Combs, and Yasir Abdullah are also in the mix.
Of the bunch, Combs is the one garnering the most attention at the offseason program, and nobody would bat an eye if he moves up the depth chart in the upcoming months.
Branson Combs made a strong impression at Jaguars minicamp
John Shipley of Sports Illustrated published a mailbag and wrote that second-year linebacker Brandon Combs has stolen the spotlight at Jaguars minicamp, arguing that he could push Ventrell Miller for the starting job next to Foyesade Oluokun.
"Could it be the linebacker spot, actually? I anoited Ventrell Miller the clear starter at linebacker before the Jaguars even put on pads, but man, they seem to be truly all-in on Brandon Combs too," Shipley answered when asked what was the biggest position battle. "I could see Combs legit pushing Miller."
All things considered, Combs' rise has been impressive. After going undrafted in 2025, the Evansville, Indiana native signed with the Jags. He didn't make the initial 53-man roster but landed in the practice squad.
Combs showed enough progress throughout the year that the Jags signed him to the active roster in November. He ended up appearing in 10 games and mostly saw action on special teams. Following his encouraging rookie season, head coach Liam Coen has heaped praise on him, noting that his athleticism and versatility have stood out throughout the offseason program.
Granted, there's still a long way to go, and Miller won't give up the starting job without a fight, but Combs' sudden rise shouldn't be overlooked.
The Jaguars could hold a legitimate battle between Ventrell MIller and Branson Combs
At this point, Ventrell Miller appears to be entrenched as the starter next to Foyesade Oluokun. In fact, Liam Coen stated earlier this year that the veteran linebacker should be thrilled that the Jaguars didn't bring in anyone to compete with him, and understandably so.
Miller, a fourth-round pick, sat out his rookie season with an Achilles tear but flashed potential in 2024 and even outplayed Devin Lloyd. This is partly why the team's brass didn't lose any sleep over Lloyd bolting in free agency. That said, the team has always put an emphasis on competition, and Miller may have to ultimately fend off Branson Combs.
The truth is that Ventrell Miller has shown enough to make you think that the Jaguars won't miss a beat with Devin Lloyd out of the picture. That said, nobody should bat an eye if Branson Combs gets ahead of him on the depth chart based on his performance in the offseason program.
Add us as a preferred source on Google