Jaguars Testing the Waters with a Scrimmage Before NFL Preseason
The Jacksonville Jaguars have had what many consider to be a successful training camp to this point. Following the NFL’s Hall of Fame Game last night in Canton between the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions, the Jaguars will look to host a scrimmage Friday evening as the team preps for the start of their preseason. It will be an offense versus defense scrimmage, with starters and most of the depth chart receiving snaps. It will be the perfect opportunity for head coach Liam Coen to assess the situation in Jacksonville and where the team stands before their first preseason game on August 9th against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
One large component of this Jacksonville Jaguars team that will be seen in Friday’s scrimmage is the current state of the team’s offense, one that struggled in 2024. Led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence and standout wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., the offense will have to adapt to Coen and new offensive coordinator Grant Udinski’s playbook. Significant progress has already been made in training camp as the offense gets more reps as a unit to understand the new scheme. For example, Lawrence has prioritized working on his footwork and how he controls his eye movement as a play unfolds to better fit the new playbook as well as to limit his turnovers entering the season. Another element of the offense heading into the scrimmage will be how the offensive line works as a unit. The Jaguars have six new additions to the line, and have since embraced competition throughout training camp. Coen has called the offensive line a work in progress, but has since believed that strides have been made. The line will have to perform to protect Trevor Lawrence, who looks to have a comeback after last season ended early due to injuries.
On the other side of the ball, the Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive unit will look to prove themselves as one of the premier defenses in the league. The line, led by superstars Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, has impressed coaches throughout camp. Two-way rookie Travis Hunter will add a new face to the secondary and help improve one of the more disappointing cornerback rooms in the league. New defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile will look to implement his new defensive schemes and playbook into a Jaguars team that is hungry to get back to the playoffs after a disappointing 2024 campaign.
Fans will be able to watch the Jacksonville Jaguars team for the first time this season in EverBank Stadium for the scrimmage. It will be the first look for many outside of the locker room to get a sense of what this Jaguars team has going for them. The players will look to prove themselves not only to coaches and staff, but to the fans and outside media, as all eyes will be watching. The scrimmage will be the start of a chopping block for coaches as they will see which players have made significant progress to making the roster and which players have regressed.
