Jaguars training camp notebook: Roster spots on the line as preseason arrives

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – “Can’t wait for Saturday.”

It is almost time for the Jaguars to open preseason. After weeks of hot training camp practices, the next time the Jags hit the field it will be for their first preseason game against the Chiefs. There are a lot of jokes about how preseason doesn’t matter but these game do matter to the majority of players on the Jags roster.

There are guys competing for roster spots to rookies who are putting on the jersey and setting foot on the game field for the first time.

Saturday is going to be like a dream come true for Jags rookie running back Jalen Jackson.

“I’m just not sleep[ing] no more at this point,” Jackson said.

Jackson, an undrafted free agent from Villanova, will have an uphill climb to make the Jags roster but he is embracing the challenge.

“I know how to weather the storm” Jackson said.

I don’t know about weathering the storm but Jackson has been bringing the thunder since the Jags put on the pads in practice.

“All I needed was an opportunity to show that I can be in this league and play alongside some of the greats,” said Jackson.

The Jaguars have a stacked running back room, and if Jackson is going to crack the team he will need some big performances under the bright game lights. He is ready and already has a plan if he finds the end zone.

“I got a celebration on the way,” Jackson said.

He wouldn’t tell me what the celebration is so hopefully we will all get to see it on Saturday.

📒Notebook 📒

• Did not practice: Patrick Murtagh, Andrew Wingard and De’Shaan Dixon.
• Individual work: Steven Jones (calf), Ezra Cleveland (leg), Keilan Robinson (toe) and Jordan Jefferson (ankle).
• Full/no contact: Ventrell Miller (hand) and Anton Harrison (concussion).
• De’Shaan Dixon tore his ACL and will be out for the season. The team waived him with an injury designation on Thursday afternoon.
• OUT on Saturday: Harrison, Cleveland, Jones, Robinson, Darnell Savage, Wingard, Jefferson, and Arik Armstead.
• Press Taylor will call the plays on Saturday from the sideline. (no decision has been made about who will call plays this season.)
• Joshua Cephus has caught a ton of passes over the last couple of days. He is a guy that had some hype going into camp and he is living up to it on the field.

• Another good day for Brian Thomas Jr. It is becoming a daily occurrence to say he caught a deep pass down the sideline. BTJ is taking big steps in the right direction.
• Tevaughn Cambell came up with the only interception of the day. It was off a tipped Mac Jones pass.
• For the hype there has been around Jarrian Jones the last couple of practices haven’t lived up to it. Giving up a few catches and not having tight enough coverage. Jones is locked in and working on it he was the first defensive guy on the field on Thursday.
• Hop on the Parker Washington hype train now. The coaches have been hyping up Parker since OTAs. He has looked good so far during training camp and Trevor Lawrence agreed saying, “I have been really impressed.”
• Eight players I’m watching Saturday:
• Mac Jones: First game back home in Jax. CJ Beathard will be the second QB and Jones will be the third. That backup QB battle is going to be a tough one to judge. Can Mac show enough to unseat CJ?
• Jalen Jackson: Tough running back room to crack but Jackson had made some waves. Will he get to see that touchdown dance?
• Elijah Cooks: He has been Cookin’. (Our intern Kailey Schuchts ask Elijah if he was cookin’ last week. He asked her on Thursday if he was Cookin’ during practice.) He made the roster last year as an UDFA  can he build off that this year?
• Joshua Cephus: The Jags most hyped UDFA this year. He has shown up on the practice field. Can he do it under the bright lights and make it a fight for that last WR spot?
• Yasir Abdullah: He is in an interesting spot in the linebacker room. Abdullah has a skillset but will the Jags find ways to use it?
• Tyler Lacy: There are big changes on the Jags D-line. Lacy looks like a much improved player but can he show enough to crack the rotation?
• Christian Braswell: Injuries slowed him down last year. The Jags coaches loved his athleticism a year ago. Will he be able to stack a strong preseason to lock up a roster spot this year?
• Jarrian Jones: Right now, Darby is in the driver seat for the starting cornerback job. Can the rookie catch up?