Jaguars' pre-training camp 53-man roster projection leaves several veterans out

With the Jacksonville Jaguars set to begin training camp, it's a good time to look at how their initial 53-man roster could look come Week 1 of the regular season.

Sure, plenty of roster spots are pretty much earmarked, but a handful of them should be up for grabs. That will surely lead to several intriguing position battles in training camp. The downside is that the Jags won't be able to keep everyone around, and a handful of players who contributed in past years may not make the cut.

With that in mind, here's a 53-man roster projection ahead of training camp.

Projected Jaguars offense ahead of training camp (25 spots):

Quarterbacks (2): Trevor Lawrence, Nick Mullens

The Jaguars are set at quarterback. Trevor Lawrence is firmly entrenched as the starter, and Nick Mullens will be the primary backup behind him. When Liam Coen was the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Bucaneers in 2024, they only carried two signal-callers. Expect Jacksonville to follow suit.

Having said that, the team's brass will keep an eye on veteran John Wolford and undrafted rookie Seth Henigan. They'll stash one of them in the practice squad.

Running backs (4): Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen, Tank Bigsby, Travis Etienne

Earlier in the offseason, it looked like the Jags were going to trade Travis Etienne, but it seems like they'll hold onto him. Sure, they could still move on from him before the 2025 deadline, but the former Clemson Tiger is trending toward making the opening week roster.

With Etienne sticking around, Jacksonville will have to sort out its running back room. Tank Bigsby and Bhayshul Tuten will be vying for playing time, while LeQuint Allen could carve a niche as a third-down running back.

Wide receiver (6): Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown, Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, Trenton Irwin, Joshua Cephus.

Gabe Davis is no longer in the mix after getting released, and he would've probably had an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster if he had stayed. He's currently without a job and has had trouble latching onto a team.

With Davis out of the way, Parker Washington and Trenton Irwin are in a favorable position to make the cut. Meanwhile, Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown, and Brian Thomas Jr. find themselves at the top of the depth chart.

The final receiver spot could go to either Joshua Cephus, Eli Pancol, or J.J. Jones. By virtue of having the most experience of the bunch, Cephus gets the nod.

Offensive lineman (10): Walker Little, Patrick Mekari, Robert Hainsey, Ezra Cleveland, Wyatt Milum, Anton Harrison, Jonah Monehim, Fred Johnson, Cole van Lanen, Chuma Edoga

The Jaguars made an aggressive effort to beef up the offensive line in the offseason. Six of the hog mollies they added weren't on the team last year. All six should make the cut and join Walker Little, Erza Cleveland, Cole Van Lanen, and Anton Harrison.

Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey will start at right guard and center, respectively. Fred Johnson, Chuma Edoga, Jonah Monehim, and Wyatt Milum will provide depth both inside and outside. If you were wondering why Luke Fortner isn't projected to get a spot, the answer is simple.

Experience doesn't account for much if you haven't put in quality playing time. That applies to Fortner, who made 32 consecutive starts to begin his NFL career but has been unremarkable the past two years. Not even the fact that he played for Liam Coen at Kentucky may be enough to help him.

Projected Jaguars defense ahead of training camp (25 spots)

Defensive linemen (9): Arik Armstead, Maason Smith, Davon Hamilton, Jordan Jefferson, Travon Walker, Josh Hines-Allen, Emmanuel Ogbah, Tyler Lacy, Jalen McLeod

Dawuane Smoot is back with the Jaguars after spending one season with the Buffalo Bills, but he's dealt with injuries the past few years, and Jacksonville may want to get younger on the edges. On top of that, the team's brass signed Emmanuel Ogbah to round out the rotation behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. At this stage of their respective careers, Ogbah is a more productive player than Smoot.

On the other hand, Arik Armstead and Maason Smith are locks to start inside. Davon Hamilton will be the primary backup behind them, while Jordan Jefferson, Tyler Lacy, and Jalen McLeod (who was a linebacker in a 3-4 scheme) will provide depth across the defensive trenches.

Linebackers (5): Devin Lloyd, Foyesade Oluokun, Ventrell Miller, Jack Kiser, Dennis Gardeck

The Jaguars have a well-rounded linebacker corps. Foyesade Oluokun is slated to start. Devin Lloyd and Ventrell Miller should battle for the spot next to him. Veteran Dennis Gardeck should get playing time as a standup rusher, while rookie Jack Kiser takes on a backup role.

Cornerbacks (5): Jourdan Lewis, Jarrian Jones, Tyson Campbell, Montaric Brown, DeAntre Prince

One benefit of having someone who can play both ways, such as Travis Hunter, is that the Jags can save up a roster spot. That will come in handy when assembling their cornerback room. Jourdan Lewis, Jarrian Jones, and Tyson Campbell will be their top three options, but Montaric Brown could also see extended action next season.

The last roster spot could go to either DeAntre Prince or Christian Braswell.

Safeties (6): Eric Murray, Darnell Savage, Antonio Johnson, Caleb Ransaw, Rayuan Lane, Daniel Thomas

The Jaguars added Eric Murray, Caleb Ransaw, and Rayuan Lane in the offseason. Murray will start, and Ransaw is expected to earn a featured role at some point of the 2025 season. Fellow rookie Rayuan Lane should carve a niche on special teams and play alongside Daniel Thomas.

Darnewll Savage could be the Day 1 starter next to Murray, and Ransaw could take his place at some point. Antonio Johnson showed promise as a rookie in 2023, and he should be in a favorable position to earn some kind of role.

That leaves Andrew Wingard on the outside looking in. Although the veteran safety is well-liked in the locker room and is a fan favorite, he's already reached his ceiling and isn't much more than a serviceable starter. Lane could take his place on special teams.

Projected Jaguars special teams ahead of training camp (3):

Cam Little, Logan Cooke, Ross Matiscik

The Jaguars are keeping their special teams core intact. Logan Cooke is one of the top punters in the league, so it's not shocking that he got a four-year extension in the offseason.