It’s nearly time for the regular season to get underway, but before the real football can start, the Jaguars have one last preseason game to play. In the preseason finale, the Jacksonville Jaguars face the Miami Dolphins. Not only will this be the last preseason game, but it will be the first game in Jacksonville since the improbable comeback against the Chargers in the AFC Wild Card Round.

There’s a lot at stake in the preseason finale. Between veterans vying for the starting spot at various positions to players fighting for the last few roster spots, the preseason finale will provide the last bit of information before the Jaguars cut down the roster to 53 players. Before those roster cuts are made, it’s time to take a look at some of the players and position groups that deserve your attention heading into the Jacksonville Jaguars preseason finale.

Jaguars Preseason Finale: Last Chance To Make An Impact

An Extended Look at the Starters in the Preseason Finale

Doug Pederson said that the starters will get extended playing time in the preseason finale. For the final week of the preseason, the Dolphins will also be sending their starters out for more playing time. This matchup between two ascending teams in the AFC will be a great way for the two teams to see the starters against high-caliber NFL offenses and defenses.

Looking ahead to the 2023 NFL season, the Dolphins defense could be near the top defensive groups. So, having Trevor Lawrence and the starters get reps against a good defense will be great for helping the offense get rid of any rust they might have before the regular season starts.

Of course, the most intriguing thing to pay attention to will be the chemistry of the offense. In preseason week one, the starters did manage to execute a touchdown drive, but not before Lawrence threw an interception on his first drive. Looking back to preseason week one’s takeaways, the starters didn’t get a lot of reps. With this upcoming preseason finale setting the stage for a lot more snaps for the starters, it’s going to be one of the most important things to pay attention to.

Each of the starters on the offense deserves their attention, but there are a few that stand out as being incredibly important. Those starters are nearly every starting offensive lineman and Calvin Ridley. Ridley is an obvious one, as this will be the most action he will see in well over a year, and it should also be a key opportunity to develop an in-game repertoire with Trevor Lawrence.

Along the offensive line, Anton Harrison, Blake Hance, and Walker Little. While Ben Bartch could end up playing, his injury concerns might force him to not play as much as the rest of the starters. But Blake Hance has been a solid lineman for the Jaguars throughout the preseason, while Walker Little has continued to impress to the point where fans should feel confident with Little starting at left tackle while Cam Robinson is out with a suspension.

Finally, Anton Harrison will be back on the field for the Jaguars after being out the previous week for precautionary reasons. Harrison was fantastic in his short time playing in preseason week one, so much to the point that Harrison will undoubtedly get to start immediately at right tackle and perform at a high level.

The Focal Points on Defense in the Preseason Finale

The defense will also look to have their starters come out and try to stop the Dolphins’ potent offense. There aren’t many wide receiver rooms as good as the Dolphins, so having the Jaguars defense get reps against a top offense will be a huge boon to the development of the starters before the 2023 season. As the saying goes, “Iron sharpens iron,” which will be the case in the preseason finale for the Jaguars.

One of the main concerns with the Jaguars’ defense heading into the 2023 season is the overall lack of a pass rush. Between K’Lavon Chaisson not performing as well as he could and Travon Walker not having the sack production that Aiden Hutchinson has had, the defensive line in recent years has been underwhelming.

Not helping that group is the injury to DaVon Hamilton. While he has yet to be ruled out for a specific amount of time, the indefinite timetable for his injury does not instill confidence that he will be back on the field soon. His vacancy will need to be filled by Jeremiah Ledbetter, and the preseason finale against Miami will be a massive test to determine if Ledbetter can fill the hole left by Hamilton.

In 2022, as a rookie, Devin Lloyd got off to an incredible start but struggled the rest of the season. Lloyd is one of my favorite breakout candidates heading into 2023, and he’s more than capable of making an impact at linebacker, helping both the defensive line and the defensive backs around him. He already had a good preseason Week 1 performance, so look to see if he can play at a high level in the preseason finale against the Dolphins.

Lastly, the defensive backs deserve a lot of attention. Tyson Campbell, Darious Williams, Tre Herndon, Gregory Junior, Andre Cisco, and Rayshawn Jenkins are the main players to focus on in the preseason finale. Campbell and Williams have earned starting cornerback spots, along with Cisco and Jenkins earning the safety spots. So, while their roles won’t be in jeopardy, their play will still play a huge factor in whether this Jaguars team can put together a great season.

The most interesting battle occurring is between Tre Herndon and Gregory Junior for the slot cornerback spot. Junior has been the best Jaguars player all preseason and has continued to impress with nearly every opportunity he’s given. Herndon hasn’t played nearly as much as Gregory Junior all preseason, but he’s currently slated to occupy the third cornerback slot.

If Junior has another great game, and Herndon doesn’t quite play as well, Junior could overtake him for the third cornerback spot. However, the most likely outcome is that Junior is essentially the fourth CB and sixth defensive back. This battle may end up in favor of Herndon, but the fact that it’s a battle at all is a testament to how incredible Junior has played all preseason.

The Wide Receiver Battle in the Preseason Finale

Speaking of battles, the one occurring in the wide receiver room is one of the more intriguing ones. Having too many options at a position is a good problem to have, and that’s exactly the issue the Jaguars are faced with currently. Teams in the NFL typically carry around six wide receivers, and the Jaguars are pretty much out of room at the position.

To start narrowing this wide receiver room down, let’s begin by identifying who’s already made the roster. The obvious ones are Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Jamal Agnew. That’s already four receivers, leaving two, maybe three, spots left. Here are the players vying for the final few spots: Tim Jones, Parker Washington, Elijah Cooks, Jacob Harris, Oliver Martin, Seth Williams, and Kevin Austin Jr.

Of those five wide receivers, only a couple will make the final roster. For these final spots, the receiver will typically need to bring some value to special teams. Tim Jones stands out amongst those wide receivers for his special teams play, and it’s a strong bet that barring some injury or drastic performance, Tim Jones will make the roster.

With that last spot or two, another strong candidate is rookie wide receiver Parker Washington. He received a fair amount of hype out of the draft and has had his moments in training camp and the preseason, even catching a touchdown last week on third down in the red zone. Assuming the Jaguars don’t want to give up on a draft pick, it’s safe to assume that Washington will make the finale 53, bringing the number of wide receivers the Jaguars will carry to 6.

Of the receivers mentioned previously, Jacob Harris and Elijah Cooks stand out as being the most likely to qualify for the seventh wide receiver on the roster. Harris made an incredible catch in the Jaguars’ first preseason game, but he will need to show up more consistently in the preseason finale. Elijah Cooks, on the other hand, has continued to improve and has been fairly consistent. Cooks received the highest offensive grade among Jaguars players from PFF in preseason week two.

Finally, if forced to bet on who would make the seventh wide receiver spot worthwhile, Elijah Cooks seems like the most likely candidate among the last few wide receivers. But Jaguars fans should know that while it may seem like these players not making the roster will be the end of their Jaguars tender; it’s likely the Jaguars would love to have some of the players mentioned back on the practice squad. So when these receivers are eventually cut, including Cooks as a possible cut candidate, don’t fret, as the Jaguars will look to bring these players back on the practice squad.

Preseason Finale Final Thoughts

There’s a lot of intrigue with the last preseason game, and with the Jaguars primed to make a deep playoff run, it will be interesting to see how well the Jaguars come out against a potential postseason opponent in the Miami Dolphins.

It should be an eventful and exciting game, so be sure to pay attention to the final battles for roster spots at wide receiver and the battle for the starting slot cornerback between Tre Herndon and Gregory Junior. A long season is ahead, so be ready to see lots of roster moves and players making a name for themselves in the coming days.