Jaguars on the roster bubble will reap rewards of Liam Coen's preseason plan

Earlier this year, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they would hold practices with all the teams they're going to face in the preseason. The strategy looked brilliant on paper. Sure, the Jags will have to travel a lot, but they could get benefits that regular team practices don't offer. The biggest one is that players get to go against top competition in a controlled environment.

And just before the preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints, head coach Liam Coen talked about how the team will distribute the playing time in the joint practice.

The Jaguars' first and second team will get most of the reps in the joint practices

Liam Coen met with the local media just before the joint practice with New Orleans. He says that the Jaguars starters and second team will get the bulk of the reps in the practice, leaving plenty of playing time for the actual game in Week 1 of the preseason.

"We're planning on getting the majority of the work anyway in the joint, so hopefully we can survive with like the ones and twos getting the majority of the joint, and then the younger guys give them a little bit of a break, so they can play in the game," Coen told reporters.

Based on Coen's wording, the starters either won't play in the opener or probably get just a few snaps. Either way, the plan makes sense. Later in the exchange, he stated that the joint practices will give the team physical work, but without tackling to the ground.

While the starters get valuable reps in practice with the Saints players, players vying for a roster spot will get a chance to make their case. Moreover, they'll get to test themselves against the starters from other teams.

This, in turn, allows the Jaguars starters to stay fresh ahead of the regular season.

Jaguars players on the fringe will get lots of playing time vs. the Saints

While teams don't want to expose their starters to injuries in a "meaningless" exhibition bout, they still want them to get acclimated to the speed of the game. The joint practices offer the same benefits while paving the way for players on the bubble to get plenty of playing time.

For instance, undrafted rookies Preston Hodge and Devon Marshall would mostly get playing time in the second half of the game if the starters were to suit up. But because the starters won't suit up, they'll have an opportunity to hone their skills. Similarly, players competing for a roster spot, such as offensive lineman Sam Mustipher, will have a chance to make their case.

Either way, the Jaguars' approach to joint practice allows the starters and the second team to get work without putting too much on their plate, while giving other players a chance to make an impression. This will allow them to get off to a strong start to the regular season when they face off against the Cleveland Browns.

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