Like any other team, the Jacksonville Jaguars needed to trim down their roster from 90 players to 53 by 4:00 p.m. Tuesday. While some players were locks to make the cut e.g. Trevor Lawrence, there were a few surprises. The first one was that the Jags kept seven wide receivers.
That's right. Jacksonville had a crowded receiver room and they were going to make a few tough decisions. Still, the team's brass managed to keep seven receivers, including rookies Parker Washington and Elijah Cooks. Both of them were garnering attention from teams around the league ahead of the deadline but they ended up staying up.
Elijah and Parker are currently participating in walkthrough for what it’s worth…They know folks have eyes out. 😎 https://t.co/uqKT2sMOfw
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) August 29, 2023
While the Jaguars could (and probably will) make a few moves in the upcoming days, it's great to see Cooks, an undrafted free agent, make the cut. Having said that, carrying seven receivers into the 2023 season wasn't the only thing that stood out on the initial 53-man roster. Here are three more.
3. Garret Prince didn't make the Jaguars roster, he's a candidate for the practice squad
Sophomore tight end Gerrit Prince had a strong training camp and made plays in the preseason. On top of that, the Jags carried four tight ends last year, so it was easy to project Prince to earn a roster spot come cutdown day. However, he was waived early in the day.
Although this is a bit of surprising news, the Jaguars needed the spot that could've gone to the former UAB Blazer at other position groups. As noted before, the Jaguars kept seven receivers. Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Jamal Agnew all were locks to make the cut.
Parker Washington and Tim Jones also seemed to have a favorable shot of making the roster, so it's possible that the Jaguars didn't want to waive Elijah Cooks and run the risk of another team swooping in and claiming him.
Keep in mind that this is just a conjecture but one that explains why the Jaguars may not have kept Prince. That said, there's a good chance Jacksonville will sign the sophomore tight end to the practice squad if he clears waivers.
2. Most of the 13 rookies the Jaguars drafted in 2023 made the initial roster
The Jaguars entered the 2023 draft with nine picks but after a series of trades, they made 13 selections. General manager Trent Baalke said at the time he would've liked to exchange some of those picks for higher selections but he couldn't find any reasonable offers.
At the time, it was fair to wonder how many draftees were going to make the cut. After all, the Jaguars had kept most of their core from last year together and barring a few players that left, the roster was pretty much the same. The answer is 10, as in 10 rookies made the Jaguars' 53-man roster, including undrafted free agent Elijah Cooks.
Some of the players that made the team were expected. Offensive tackle Anton Harrison, running back Tank Bigsby and tight end Brenton Strange and a roster spot guaranteed. And the rookies that didn't make the cut where either drafted in Rounds 6 or 7: Defensive back Erick Hallett II, nose tackle Raymond Vohasek and fullback Derek Perish. Linebacker Ventrell Miller, for his part, will start the 2023 season on the Injured Reserve list, meaning that he'll miss his rookie campaign.
Now, there's a chance some of these rookies will be eventually released but having so much depth bodes well for the Jaguars, with several prominent players set to become free agents next season. On top of that, Tyson Campbell, Walker Little, Andre Cisco, and Trevor Lawrence will all be eligible for extensions in 2024.
The sooner the Jags lock them up, the better, and that will be possible due to the infusion of youth they added to the roster in this year's draft.
1. The Jaguars are thin at offensive tackle heading into the 2023 season
The Jaguars have eight offensive linemen on the roster, which is the usual amount teams carry. That said, their depth at offensive tackle is less than optimal. Josh Wells, was slated to be their top backup on the edges while left tackle Cam Robinson served a four-game suspension to start the 2023 season.
However, Wells hurt his abductor during joint practices with the Detroit Lions ahead of their Week 2 preseason matchup and will be placed on the Injured Reserve list. Because he landed on IR before the waiver period (Wednesday), he'll miss the whole year. Similarly, Robinson will begin the 2023 campaign on the suspended list and won't be eligible to suit up until Week 5, when Jacksonville faces the Buffalo Bills.
On top of that, rookie Cooper Hodges will start the season on short IR. The difference between Wells and Hodges is that the Jaguars allocated one roster spot for the latter and will place him on IR after the waiver period and he'll be eligible to return in Week 5.
Jaguars likely going light at two positions to get DT DaVon Hamilton (back) and OL Cooper Hodges (knee) to short-term IR. Expect them to have 2 roster spots open to bring 2 guys back. https://t.co/2A1zD5MR4y
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) August 29, 2023
That leaves the Jaguars without depth at offensive tackle. Then again, they have ample time to add another hog molly before the start of the season once Hodges lands on IR. Either Blake Hance, who was released on roster cutdown day, would be the most likely candidate if he clears waivers. Another option would be Bobby Brown, a 2019 draft pick from the Los Angeles Rams, who landed with the Jaguars in the preseason.