The Jacksonville Jaguars got their wish granted when the NFL authorized them to hold joint practices with each of their three preseason opponents. Based on a recent update, they could also get an edge on cutdown day.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Media posted on Twitter that the league will move the cutdown deadline from Tuesday to Sunday, August 30. On top of that, the teams will be able to place waiver claims at 1 p.m. Monday, August 31.
In past years, the deadline was on the Tuesday after the last week of the preseason, so teams had a bit of a cushion. Now, though, they'll have a bit less time to narrow down their roster to 53 players. That said, the update won't affect Jacksonville nearly as much.
The Jaguars will have enough time in the preseason to trim down the roster
The reason the new cutdown deadline won't affect the Jaguars nearly as much as other teams is that they hold their preseason finale on Friday, the 28th. That gives them two full days to assess their roster. That said, Jacksonville won't be the only club that will get a slight edge from the NFL's latest update.
The Washington Commanders, the Houston Texans, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the New York Giants, the Miami Dolphins, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Carolina Panthers, the Chicago Bears, and the Baltimore Ravens will also play on Friday. Similarly, a handful of clubs will take the field on the 27th.
On the other hand, several teams will still take the field on Saturday, the 28th, putting them at a severe disadvantage.
And in case you were wondering, the Jaguars preseason opponents are below (all Eastern times):
- Week 1 @ New Orleans Saints (August 15, 4 p.m.)
- Week 2 vs. the Carolina Panthers (August 21, 7:30 p.m.)
- Week 3 vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (August 28, 7:30 p.m.)
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The Jaguars will have plenty of time to trim down their roster to 53 players
The truth is that the Jaguars will have their roster more or less sorted out by Week 3 of the preseason. Sure, a few spots could still be up for grabs, and the final could bring clarity. That said, the team's brass will have it more or less figured out by then.
Granted, there will be a few surprises. Danny Striggow and B.J. Green II made the roster as undrafted free agents in 2025. This year, undrafted cornerback Davon Marshall or running back J'Mari Taylor could sneak in as well. Similarly, a veteran — perhaps Arik Armstead or Eric Murray — could be either released or traded.
Moreover, nobody will bat an eye if the Jaguars put in a waiver request or make a trade or two in the aftermath of the preseason. After all, he's shown that he won't hesitate to take a swing if he believes it will help address the larger scale roster.
The truth is that the latest NFL roster cutdown deadline shouldn't affect the Jaguars. If anything, it could speed up the whole thing.
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