3 major plotlines to keep an eye on in Jaguars joint practices with Buccaneers

Earlier this year, the Jacksonville Jaguars released their schedule of practices for training camp. Along the way, they announced that they would be holding joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on August 14 and 15. The time has come and the Jags are ready to practice with their intrastate neighbors ahead of their matchup in Week 2 of the 2024 NFL Preseason.

Leaving aside that Jacksonville came out on top in their 26-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, players executed in all three phases of the game. During halftime, head coach Doug Pederson said that the team was playing fast and aggressively.

Pederson will surely want some of that to carry into joint practices with the Bucs. This begs the question, what kind of things should the Jags keep an eye on heading into Week 2 of the preseason? These three things come to mind.

The Jaguars must keep their cool during joint practices vs. the Buccaneers

During the heat of the moment, it's common for tempers to flare up in training camp. The Houston Texans had one such incident earlier this summer. The Jags had a light one but more than anything, Christian Kirk rushed to Gabe Davis' defense when cornerback Montaric Brown laid a big hit on him.

It ultimately was a nothing burger. Here's the Ferndinanda Beach native talking about the non-scuffle, via Juston W. Lewis of the Florida Times-Union.

Having said that, the Jaguars must keep their cool against Tampa Bay, because if they get into a skirmish, the Bucs and other teams will take notice. They will then try to provoke them and taunt them into getting into losing their cool and making mistakes. That's something Jacksonville wants to avoid if they want to get the most out of the joint practices.

The Jaguars will get starting RT Anton Harrison after getting cleared from concussion protocol

Right tackle Anton Harrison got off to a rough start to his rookie season but finished strong, giving up no sacks in the last nine games. A first-round pick in last year's draft, he's expected to keep making strides in Year 2, and potentially become a superstar. However, a concussion temporarily brought the plan to a halt.

The Oklahoma product has missed most of training camp and didn't suit up for the preseason opener. However, he's been cleared and can resume practice. It will be interesting to see whether the team brings him along slowly or thrust him into action right away.

The Jaguars may want to err on the side of caution, limit his workload, and have Harrison sit out Week 2 of the preseason That would be a sensible approach. Conversely, the coaching staff may want him to join his teammates so they can work on their rapport ahead of the season. Either path sounds reasonable, so this will be something worth watching.

What kind of workload will Arik Armstead get ahead of Week 2 of the preseason?

The Jaguars signed defensive tackle Arik Armstead to a three-year deal worth $43.5 million in free agency. They did it despite the fact that the veteran defensive tackle was recovering from meniscus surgery.

Armstead was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp. This was nothing more than a cautionary measure to ensure he was able to recover. Heading into the preseason, Doug Pederson said that the former Oregon Duck was getting closer to returning. Fast forward to the days preceding Week 2 of the preseason, and he's been activated from PUP.

Even though Armstead has been cleared to action, the team's brass will surely want to limit his reps during joint practices and keep him in a snap count in the game. Still, his teammates and defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen are surely thrilled to have one key piece back ahead of the regular season.

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