Training camp is in full swing for the Jacksonville Jaguars and preseason is about to begin Saturday when the team travels to face the Dallas Cowboys.
For the majority of the players on the Jaguars’ roster — which currently stands at 93 when including those who are injured — the last few weeks of camp and the three exhibition games will be a chance to prove they deserve a roster spot.
Others don’t have anything to worry about. Trevor Lawrence will be the starting quarterback Week 1 and Travon Walker will be hunting for opposing passers off the edge.
Here are 38 Jaguars players who are all but guaranteed a spot when the team cuts down the roster at the end of camp:
Quarterbacks (1)
- Trevor Lawrence
Lawrence is a no-brainer, but he’s the only one in this group for now.
C.J. Beathard will probably be the backup and there’s a really good chance Nathan Rourke sticks on the roster too. If the latter wins the No. 2 spot, it’s harder to see Beathard sticking around as the No. 3.
It’s been a while since the Jaguars carried three quarterbacks on the active roster. Few teams do. So until there’s more clarity on the backup battle, it’s just Lawrence here.
Running backs (2)
- Travis Etienne Jr.
- Tank Bigsby
There are two obvious names at the top of the Jaguars’ crowded running back room. After the duo of Etienne and Bigsby is a logjam with one or two spots up for grabs. JaMycal Hasty and D’Ernest Johnson are the favorites for the last spot(s), but Snoop Conner isn’t someone who should be ruled out entirely.
Wide receivers (5)
- Calvin Ridley
- Christian Kirk
- Zay Jones
- Jamal Agnew
- Parker Washington
The top three receivers on this list are vital parts of the Jaguars’ pass offense and the latter two provide enough return value to make their spots safe. It’s likely down to Kevin Austin Jr. and Tim Jones in the battle for a final receiver spot.
Tight ends (3)
- Evan Engram
- Luke Farrell
- Brenton Strange
Engram signed a new $41.25 million deal in July and Strange is a second-round pick. They’re the obvious locks, but Farrell belongs in the group too after spending his first two seasons on the active roster. With Dan Arnold and Chris Manhertz gone, there’s no reason for the Jaguars to part with Farrell at this point.
That doesn’t leave a ton of room for Gerrit Prince, but he may prove himself uncuttable if he continues to shine in camp.
Offensive line (5)
- Cam Robinson (OT)
- Walker Little (OT)
- Anton Harrison (OT)
- Brandon Scherff (G)
- Luke Fortner (C)
The Jaguars still need to figure out their Robinson-Little left tackle situation, but they certainly won’t be parting with either player before October.
What’s tough is figuring out what depth on the middle of the line will look like. Scherff and Fortner are locks, but left guard is a mystery with Ben Bartch and Tyler Shatley both out of action for now.
For now, there’s about 10 lineman in the mix for about three or so spots. That means even the clear favorites like Bartch and Shatley are no guarantees while they’re sidelined and newcomers like Cooper Hodges, Chandler Brewer, Josh Wells, and Blake Hance are putting themselves in the running.
Defensive line (4)
- DaVon Hamilton
- Roy Robertson-Harris
- Folorunso Fatukasi
- Tyler Lacy
There’s no reason the starting trio would be any danger, and Lacy isn’t going anywhere after getting picked in the fourth round.
Adam Gotsis may belong on this list, but he didn’t make the final 53 last year even if he was eventually brought back by the Jaguars. After him, there’s some newcomers (Henry Mondeaux, Michael Dogbe, Raymond Vohasek) and a couple returners (Jeremiah Ledbetter and De’Shaan Dixon).
Outside linebackers (3)
- Josh Allen
- Travon Walker
- Yasir Abdullah
The starters are safe, as is rookie Yasir Abdullah, who looks like a promising developmental piece for the Jaguars defense.
On the borderline is K’Lavon Chaisson, who has earned positive reviews from coaches, despite his annual lack of production. With so little depth on the roster, it’s hard to imagine Chaisson on the chopping block. But if Jacksonville snags any pass rushing help from the fast evaporating free agent leftovers, that could be a wrap for the former first-rounder.
Dawuane Smoot isn’t going anywhere either, but as long as he’s on the PUP list and potentially not ready to take one of the 53 active roster spots, we’ll leave him off for now.
Inside linebackers (4)
- Foyesade Oluokun
- Devin Lloyd
- Chad Muma
- Ventrell Miller
The Jaguars invested big at inside linebacker recently, signing Oluokun to a huge free agency deal and drafting Lloyd, Muma, and Miller with first-, third-, and fourth-round picks, respectively.
For Shaq Quarterman and/or Caleb Johnson to stick around, they’ll have to continue to demonstrate a lot of value on special teams.
Cornerback (3)
- Tyson Campbell
- Darious Williams
- Gregory Junior
It’s tough to know what to make of the litany of young corners behind starters Campbell and Williams.
Tre Herndon III is probably safe, but only if he can hold off the huge group of first- and second-year backs (Gregory Junior, Montaric Brown, Erick Hallett, Christian Braswell, among others).
Junior may be behind Herndon on the depth chart for now, but he’s shown enough that the Jaguars won’t want him hitting the waiver wire.
Safety (5)
- Andre Cisco
- Rayshawn Jenkins
- Andrew Wingard
- Daniel Thomas
- Antonio Johnson
Five safeties as locks is a lot, but Wingard and Thomas provide simply too much value on special teams for the Jaguars to part with them, even if they’re backing up the starters, Cisco and Jenkins.
Fifth-round picks aren’t always locks, but Johnson clearing waivers to get stashed on the practice squad is way too risky for the Jaguars to consider cutting him.
Special teams (3)
- Brandon McManus (K)
- Logan Cooke (P)
- Ross Matiscik (LS)
This trio has no real competition in camp and isn’t much of a question.
