Who are the most difficult cuts? Projecting the Jaguars final 53-man roster

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The final preseason game on Saturday is the final opportunity for Jaguars players to make their case for the 53-man roster.

Well, we aren’t waiting until then. We are going to try and nail the Jaguars’ final 53-man roster now. Justin Barney and Jamal St. Cyr take a shot before final roster decisions must be made by Tuesday. Players in bold are rookies.

Quarterback

JB: No surprise. The Jaguars have too many other close calls to keep Nathan Rourke as the No. 3. I’d like to see Rourke back on the practice squad.

JSC: Nathan Rourke had a good preseason, but I just don’t see the Jaguars keeping 3 QBs on the roster. If Rourke can somehow make it through waivers, the Jaguars would add him to the practice squad in a heartbeat. But I think Rourke has played his way onto another team.

Running back

JB: Tank Bigsby will have a larger role this year than expected. I have Jacksonville keeping four backs right now but could see D’Ernest Johnson being a roster squeeze after final cuts.

JSC: The debate here for me was do they keep three or four running backs. I ultimately landed on four. Johnson’s ability to contribute on special teams locked him in for me. The tough cut here was Snoop Conner. The second-year running back improved. He should be a practice squad candidate.

Wide receiver

JB: My initial 53-man had Kevin Austin Jr. making the roster. He’s been lackluster in games. To me, this is the most difficult position to forecast. Tim Jones made it last year and he could very well make it again. I like both Jacob Harris and Elijah Cooks, but both won’t make the roster. Rookie Parker Washington gets the nod as a returner and makes it.

JSC: Just the final receiver spot was up for grabs here. If you asked me before camp, I would have said Tim Jones or Kendric Pryor, maybe even Kevin Austin Jr. But Jacob Harris really turned it on. He has size, speed and can contribute on special teams.

Tight end

JB: I like this grouping. Brenton Strange will slip into the Chris Manhertz role as a blocker, but he should be a far better target than Manhertz. Gerrit Prince has had a nice camp, but hasn’t done much in games.

JSC: No surprises here. Doug Pederson is going to use multiple tight ends a lot this season, so keeping four on the roster seems like a must.

Offensive linemen

JB: Without a rash of injuries, this group was in good shape. But injuries to Josh Wells and Cooper Hodges, as well as the atrial fibrillation of Tyler Shatley have shaken things up. Wells and Hodges will probably stick with the team on an injured reserve-type scenario.

JSC: Injuries made this spot much more difficult. Before the injuries, this group was straight forward. Now, those final two spots are up for grabs. I went with Cronk and Van Lanen, but the Jaguars could also look to fill these spots through waivers.

Defensive linemen

JB: I swapped two of my original 53-man picks (Henry Mondeaux and De’Shaan Dixon) for Tyler Lacy and Jeremiah Ledbetter. Those two have had phenomenal camps. Foley Fatukasi and DaVon Hamilton have been banged up, so perhaps they keep an additional lineman. Mondeaux was waived with an injury settlement this week.

JSC: Doug Pederson said he think Hamilton could be back in the building soon. That is good news. I almost had Hamilton starting the year on the Non Football injury list. Having Hamilton healthy to start the year is huge.

Linebacker

JB: This came down to a couple players for me. I kept the rookie Ventrell Miller and third-year player Jordan Smith. Shaquille Quarterman was a tough cut for me.

JSC: They call them glue guys for a reason. By definition, “glue guys are the players who aren’t necessarily superstars, but are the veterans who can keep a team together by doing the little things that go unnoticed.” Next to the definition, there should be a picture of Quarterman. Ventrell Miller has a ton of potential but I just don’t get the feeling that he is fully healthy. The Jaguars drafted him knowing he had a foot injury and he has still been dealing with it during camp. Caleb Johnson is also a played I wanted to find a way to keep but got squeezed off in the final adjustments.

Defensive backs

JB: Chris Claybrooks is a cut for me this time around. I added Christian Braswell and Gregory Junior. Both have had great camps. Nothing crazy at safety. Antonio Johnson has been better than advertised.

JSC: A youth movement here. The Jaguars have invested last draft picks on corners in back-to-back years. It is important not to write the book on players during or after their rookie seasons. Because what a difference a year can make. Look at Gregory Junior. He went from a practice squad player to competing for a starting job. He lost the battle but will be on the roster. As for his draft mate last year, Montaric Brown is a different story. Brown made the roster a year ago but is on the bubble this time. Braswell’s movement skills and ability to play inside and outside, and Hallett’s versatility to play corner and safety ultimately put Brown on the cut list. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were about to get Brown back on the practice squad. As for safety, this was an easy decision. The rookie star of training camp for me was Antonio Johnson. I was a fan of his game prior to the draft. He was an early lock for the roster. If it wasn’t for the hamstring injury, Johnson would have a role on the Jaguars defense in Week 1.

Specialists

JB: The Jaguars are sticking with this trio. Matiscik was banged up in the preseason opener, but the team brought in former Jaguars long snapper Carson Tinker and then quickly moved on from him.

JSC: No debate here.