In the preseason, wins and losses take a back seat to individual performances, with roster spots and playing time up for grabs for a number of Jacksonville Jaguars players.
After a joint practice on Thursday, the Jaguars open up the preseason on the road in New Orleans, and these four players in particular are in need of strong performances.
DE Bryan Thomas Jr.
Bryan Thomas Jr. already faced an uphill battle to make the final roster as an undrafted free agent (UDFA), though initially, he was considered a UDFA to watch. That said, he finds himself at a crowded position group with BJ Green, Danny Striggow, Wesley William, and Zach Durfee all ahead of him on the depth chart and vying for playing time.
Thomas doesn't have draft status working in his favor. There will
be no starters playing Saturday, so he will need to take the opportunity in front of him to show what he is capable of. He has shown flashes of potential during training camp, but that needs to turn into actual production against the Saints to prove he deserves a place with the Jaguars - if not on the roster, then at least on the practice squad, where he can continue to develop. - Casandra Chesser
TE Quintin Morris
Quintin Morris has been working through an injury, but if he plays on Saturday, he will be a player worth watching. He has quickly found himself at the bottom of the tight end depth chart. Brenton Strange is a lock, and the Jaguars put Morris' place in jeopardy after drafting Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol, both of whom have performed well in training camp.
With their performances, Boerkircher and Koziol have both likely surpassed Morris on the depth chart, and if the Jaguars choose to only roster three tight ends, he'll be out. And if the Jaguars roster four tight ends, Morris is competing with Hunter Long for that final potential roster spot.
However, with a strong enough performance against the Saints, Morris can remind the coaches of why they should keep him around. He had a decent 2025 season, which saw his role steadily expand, and he had a regular presence on special teams. He will need to remind the team of what he has to offer and that his blocking abilities and value on special teams are a reason to keep a fourth tight end, rather than using that roster spot elsewhere. - Casandra Chesser
OL Chuma Edoga
Entering training camp, it seemed as if Edoga was on the outside looking in when it came to the Jaguars' final roster. However, as the Jaguars navigate numerous injuries up front, having Edoga on the roster has been quite valuable.
As needed, he has stepped in with the first-team offense, and he has the versatility to play both guard and tackle. A strong showing against the Saints and leaving Edoga off the roster will no longer be an option. - Paul Bretl
RB Ameer Abdullah
Abdullah has had a very good training camp, both as a ball carrier and as a return man. However, he's at a position group that typically only carries three players and each of those roster spots is already accounted for.
That said, the Jaguars did often roster a fourth running back last season, and if Abdullah can continue to produce in the preseason, he could force the Jaguars to think twice about doing that again. - Paul Bretl
DE Wesley Williams
Williams is competing with BJ Green, Zach Durfee, and Danny Striggow for playing time. It's largely been a quieter camp for him, but the Jaguars are very bullish on his ability to impact both the run and passing games, along with the play style he brings to the defense. In a game against an unfamiliar opponent is where Williams' skill set has the ability to shine, helping him earn a larger role defensively. - Paul Bretl
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 5 Jaguars players who need big games vs. Saints in preseason
