5 fascinating position battles that will define Jaguars training camp

Training camp is upon us, and NFL teams will at last get to see their players perform with pads. While the Jacksonville Jaguars don't have many starting jobs open for competition, they won't be short of intrigue. There will be several roster spots up for grabs.

This begs the question, which position battles could define Jags' training camp in 2024? These five come to mind.

WR6 (and maybe 7) - Tim Jones, Elijah Cooks, and Joshua Cephus

Last year, the Jaguars carried seven receivers into the regular season because they didn't want to risk releasing Tim Jones, Elijah Cooks, or Parker Washington only to see another team claim them off waivers. They could face a similar conundrum once again in 2024.

Washington has been among the team's most improved players and should be a lock to make the team. Also, the top brass might've already earmarked roster spots for Gabe Davis, Brian Thomas Jr., Christian Kirk, and Devin Duvernay. That's five spots, potentially leaving one or two up for grabs. Jones, Cook, and undrafted rookie Joshua Cephus will be competing for them.

Jones has the edge by virtue of being the grizzled veteran. The coaching staff likes him because he's a reliable blocker. On the other hand, Elijah Cooks barely saw any playing time as a rookie but has probably improved. He won't give up without a fight. Then, there's Cephus, a diamond in the rough with the potential to become a steady contributor.

At this point, it's hard to tell how things are going to play out but it wouldn't be shocking if the Jaguars decide to once again keep seven receivers.

CB5 and 6 - Gregory Junior, Deantre Prince, Montaric Brown, Christian Braswell

The perception — at least when it comes to the national media — is that cornerback is currently a need/weakness for the Jaguars. But a more accurate way to describe the situation would be a question mark or a work in progress.

Darious Williams was the team's most productive cornerback last year (four interceptions, 19 passes defensed) but Jacksonville released him in a cap-saving move. They inked Ronald Darby in free agency to take his place and then used a pair of draft picks on Jarrian Jones and Deantre Prince.

Darby has missed 13 games the past two seasons but has also come through, giving up just one receiving touchdown and a 46.7 percent completion rate when targeted. He should clinch the starting job opposite Tyson Campbell, who just got a contract that makes him one of the highest-paid players at the position.

Jones, for his part, has made a strong impression in offseason activities and could secure a big role early in his rookie campaign if he shines in training camp. Darnell Savage, on the other hand, mostly played safety for the Green Bay Packers but will tentatively man the slot with the Jags. That's four spots, possibly leaving two up for grabs. Montaric Brown, Gregory Junior, Christian Braswell, and Prince will be competing for them.

Junior and Brown were taken in Rounds 6 and 7 of the 2022 draft, respectively, and are the veterans of the bunch. Injuries limited the former latter in 2023 but Doug Pederson called him one of the team's most improved players last offseason. The latter saw extensive playing time but was inconsistent. He'll need to fend off both Prince and Braswell if he doesn't want to tumble down the depth chart or straight up be left out.

Backup quarterback - Mac Jones, and CJ Beathard

C.J. Beathard has been the Jaguars' primary backup at quarterback. He's immensely helped Trevor Lawrence prepare for game day, but the team's brass didn't seem fully confident in his ability to win games in 2023.

Lawrence might've played through injuries in 2023 because they didn't think Beathard could help them win. Sure, he did start against the measly Carolina Panthers and beat them but they were the worst team in the NFL last year, and the game plan basically consisted of keeping mistakes at a minimum. Realizing they needed better options in case Steezy Trev went down, Jacksonville traded for Mac Jones in March.

Jones was a first-round pick in 2021 but was benched several times the past two seasons. In his defense, the New England Patriots stalled his development when they appointed Matt Patricia as their de facto offensive coordinator. Similarly, former head coach Bill Belichick didn't seem overly interested in building the team around him. But despite his struggles, the Alabama product left Foxboro with 42 starts and a solid 66.1 percent completion rate with 46 touchdowns and 36 interceptions.

Meanwhile, Beathard has never garnered realistic consideration for a starting job long-term in his career. Since being drafted in 2017, the former Iowa Hawkeye has appeared in 34 games, completing 60.4 percent of his throws for 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Beathard and Jones will still need to compete, though, and every rep will count. That said, the latter should have the edge by virtue of being the most talented of the two.

Kicker - Cam Little, and Riley Patterson

The Jaguars have had trouble finding stability at kicker since Josh Lambo began to struggle in 2021. They released him a handful of games into the season and brought Matthew Wright to take his place, but it was only a temporary fix. The team's brass moved on from him the following offseason but had difficulties finding a replacement, at least until they claimed Riley Patterson off waivers.

Patterson experienced a midseason funk but finished 2022 strong. He even kicked the winning field goal against the Los Angeles Chargers in Wild Card Weekend. However, he also lacked the strength for kickoffs and attempts of 50+ yards. They thought Brandon McManus could help them fix both issues, so they signed him when he became available in 2023 and dumped Patterson.

McManus wasn't much of an upgrade, failing many of his attempts from 50 yards out, the reason he was brought in to begin with. To nobody's surprise, Jacksonville kicked him to the boot and brought Patterson back. Then again, it looks like they only re-signed him as a safety net, as they tried to lure Wil Lutz in free agency. He shunned the Jags but it might've been a blessing in disguise, as they were able to land Cam Little in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Little set a school record at Arkansas with an 82.8 completion percent rate. Moreover, he went 7-of-11 in attempts from 50 yards out. If he can build off of his encouraging outing in offseason activities, he should be able to beat Patterson.

Left tackle - Cam Robinson, and Walker Little

This battle may not get nearly as much attention as it deserves ahead of training camp but it could turn out to be the most consequential one. Walker Little and Cam Robinson are both entering contract years and whoever loses could be shipped out of town.

Robinson has been a mainstay of the Jaguars' offensive line since they drafted him in 2017. While he's never made the Pro Bowl, he's been pretty dependable. Not surprisingly, the Alabama product was one of the first homegrown players to get a contract extension from general manager Trent Baalke in 2022. That said, he's not particularly great in pass blocking, and releasing him (or trading him) could free up $17 million in space.

Little, for his part, was a highly coveted prospect during his time at Stanford. However, an ACL injury, along with his decision to opt out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, made him slide to the second round of the 2021 draft. Even though he's fared well when filling in for Robinson, he's not been able to seize a starting job. That could change with a strong performance in training camp.

The team's brass will go with the more talented player of the two but they may be rooting for Little to win the competition, as they could create ample cap space, which they could then allocate to other areas of the roster. But if he loses, he could be the one that gets shipped out of town.

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