Roster bubble players ready to make final statement in Jaguars final preseason game

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s the closing act for the Jaguars as the final audition for roster spots come to a close on Friday night.

Jacksonville (1-1) hosts Tampa Bay (2-0) in the third preseason game of the year at 7:30 p.m. Starters aren’t expected to play for the Jaguars, but it’s a significant opportunity for bottom of the roster players to prove that they belong on the team beyond Friday night. NFL teams need to get down to the 53-player limit by Sunday at 6 p.m. That won’t affect players like Trevor Lawrence and Travis Hunter and Bhayshul Tuten, but it certainly affects the players behind them in the lineup.

“I think we’re going to have some difficult decisions for sure. It’s never easy. That day you definitely dread as a coach and the personnel department because so many of these guys that are here right now are helping forge our 2026 season, and you want to keep them all,” said head coach Liam Coen.

“You want to be able to have a part in all of their development and work. But when you’ve elevated the roster, hopefully you’re continuing to raise the floor and get these guys to have a little bit more competition at key spots. I think when you’re having to make difficult decisions at cut time, hopefully your football team is going to be a little better.”

NEED TO KNOW

Buccaneers (2-0) at Jaguars (1-1)

When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: EverBank Stadium

TV/Radio: FOX 30/1010 AM/92.5 FM

Of note: NFL teams must have rosters down from 90 to 53 by 6 p.m. on Sunday.

If you’re going: Due to construction on the Main Street bridge, traffic exiting the stadium will be affected. Only one lane will be open going southbound on the Main Street bridge.

Capacity reduced: Construction on EverBank Stadium has reduced capacity by 27,000 this season.

RELATED: Who makes the cut? Making our projections for the final 53

Will the Jaguars keep four running backs or three? Ameer Abdullah (pictured above), Deejay Dallas and rookie J’Mari Taylor are battling to make the roster behind Chris Rodriguez, Tuten and Le’Quint Allen Jr. Could a strong performance against the Buccaneers compel Liam Coen and James Gladstone to add a fourth behind the three front line players?

Elsewhere in the lineup, competition for the starting linebacker spot is between Ventrell Miller and Branson Combs, with Miller likely ahead. But is there a spot left that either second-year player Jalen McLeod or Yasir Abdullah to slide into?

With rookie receivers Josh Cameron and CJ Williams all but certain to make the roster, is a player like Trebor Pena destined for the practice squad? His 130 receiving yards on seven catches are the fourth most in the NFL this preseason. At backup quarterback, the training camp reps say that Nick Mullens is a lock to back up Lawrence, but could Joey Aguilar (10 of 11, 173 yards, TD) force Jacksonville to reconsider?

The offensive line injury issues have slowed down, so it doesn’t seem like Jacksonville will need to bulk up at that position. Two undrafted free agents made the team last year (BJ Green II and Danny Striggow), will any squeeze onto the team this year?