Jaguars playing starters: 3 things to watch in preseason finale game vs. Dolphins
• The Jaguars are playing their starters vs. the Dolphins
• Here are 3 things to keep an eye on
Following the Jacksonville Jaguars' 25-7 win over the Detroit Lions, head coach Doug Pederson said he wanted to see the starters get extended playing time against the Miami Dolphins. A few days later, it looks like Pederson hasn't changed his mind.
Just recently, he told the local media the plan is for the staters to play a half or close to it. All things considered, the Miami game will be a great opportunity for the Jags to fine-tune things ahead of the regular season and make whatever tweaks necessary for the opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
With this in mind, here are three things to keep an eye on when the Jaguars face off against the Dolphins in the preseason finale.
3. How the Jaguars offensive line holds up against the Dolphins
The Jaguars had a relatively clean bill of health early in training camp but their offensive line has experienced several injuries over the last month. Veteran Tyler Shatley was treated for Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) in training camp and didn't suit up for the first two preseason games.
Similarly, offensive tackle Josh Wells hurt his abductor during joint practices with the Lions and won't be available for the finale. On top of that, Blake Hance was in the concussion protocol and rookie Anton Harrison has been dealing with a shoulder injury.
The good news is that Hance seems good to go. Also, Harrison will likely get the start against Miami in spite of the injury. Furthermore, left guard Ben Bartch, who was recently activated from the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list, will get playing time in the finale.
-- Blake Hance should be good to play vs. Miami.
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) August 21, 2023
-- Cooper Hodges had a patella injury. They aren't sure how much time he'll miss but he'll obviously be sidelined the rest of camp.
-- Ben Bartch will have a chance to play this week. His reps will be increased.
It will be interesting to see how the Jaguars' offensive line, as a whole, perform vs. the Dolphins. While most of the unit is already sorted out, players such as Hance could make a push to earn a roster spot.