I can't believe it. The day has finally come. Going into training camp, I can heartily laugh in the face of those poor souls who still don't know who's gonna catch the dang ball for their favorite team come September. The Jacksonville Jaguars have three pure wide receivers who can get the job done and a hybrid who'll be too busy locking down some other squad's best player to worry about starting the game in Trevor Lawrence's huddle.
Life is good. It could certainly be even better, but I won't get greedy.
Oh wait. Silly me. I almost forgot: one of the two receivers James Gladstone drafted in the sixth round is in contention to make the final 53 as well. Josh Cameron, the 191st-overall pick out of Baylor, doesn't mind getting his hands dirty when it's time to pound the rock. That means he'll be able to line up right beside Nate Boerkircher and open up some massive holes for Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez.
I (almost) feel kind of arrogant saying this, but the Jags might have too many wide receivers on the roster at once for the first time in their existence. CJ Williams could actually be on the outside looking in, and I remember seasons where a guy like him could easily walk into September as Jacksonville's WR5.
Unfortunately, the good times stop here, as final cutdowns are about a month and a half away. With all the other talent on the roster and some last-minute free agents who could come through the door, which of the two rookies will be able to sneak into the Jaguars' wide receiver room while they prep for the Cleveland Browns?
Josh Cameron could be the last WR to make Jacksonville's super-crowded roster
According to Cameron himself, he's a willing run blocker who's willing to do any dirty work the coaches ask of him. When thinking about his potential place on the depth chart, being able to maul a defensive back on second and short could be the difference between the Baylor product dressing on Sundays and cheering on his teammates in sweatpants.
Once training camp gets underway, Cameron will get a chance to match up with Travis Hunter, Jourdan Lewis, Caleb Ransaw, and all the other Jaguars DBs who want to test the rookie's intestinal fortitude in the run game. It's hard to prove one's prowess as a blocker in a t-shirt and some shorts, but that handicap is about to be removed in couple of weeks.
To his credit, CJ Williams showed that he plays way better than his poor test scores insinuated during the draft process. He also followed the biggest unwritten rule in all of pro sports, which is that availability is the best ability. Thus far, his brightest days as a professional came while Cameron was nursing an injury he suffered during the lead-up to the draft. As of now, there's no reason for long-term concern, but every bullet point will matter once Gladstone is forced to make a final decision.
If I had to call it now, Cameron seems to be in the driver's seat, as his collegiate resume and availability as a returner give Jacksonville a better foundation to work with. At the end of the day, it'd be a Christmas miracle if all 10 draft picks made the initial roster, and I can already think of three who should have bought a new house the moment they heard their names called. Unfortunately, neither Cameron nor Williams is one of them.
Ultimately, this could be one of the best problems a longtime fan of the team could ask for. Back in my day, Cameron would have been one of Blaine Gabbert's best targets. Now, he's simply a late-round pick who'll have to get it out the mud like everybody else.
Is this what it's like to root for a winner?
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