The Jacksonville Jaguars will take on the New Orleans Saints in their preseason opener on Saturday, but first, the two teams will hold a joint practice on Thursday
So what should we be watching for as this practice takes place?
Joint practices can be quite valuable. They provide game-like reps for starters who may not see preseason action and give the Jaguars new looks to contend with on both sides of the ball. Everything that has seemingly been established up to this point in training camp will be tested.
That said, here are six things to be on the lookout for.
Trevor Lawrence and the passing game
Parker Washington has been nearly unstoppable in training camp. Lawrence’s rapport with Brian Thomas Jr. has improved, leading to more downfield opportunities, while Jakobi Meyers has been picking up steam as of late and plays a key role in the offense, attacking the middle and intermediate parts of the field.
That said, it hasn’t been perfect by any means for the Jaguars’ passing game either, with the Jacksonville secondary giving the offense fits. So which version of the Jaguars’ pass attack do we see against the Saints?
Jaguars run game
This is an area where the Jaguars are looking to improve this season. Doing so can be what gives this offense a boost in Year 2 under Liam Coen. A strong run game keeps the offense ahead of the sticks and opens up the playbook for Coen, creating opportunities in the passing game.
From the sounds of it, the Jaguars’ backs — Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez — have performed well, but as the offensive line deals with injuries, the blocking up front as of late has been inconsistent.
What does the offensive line configuration look like, and how does this unit perform?
As mentioned, due to injuries, the play up front has been inconsistent. Will Walker Little or Patrick Mekari compete in the team portion of practice? If not, will Jonah Monheim be back at right guard and Wyatt Milum at right tackle? As we saw in the Jaguars’ latest practice, when the offensive line unit struggles, so does the rest of the offense.
How does the young pass rush unit perform?
The Jaguars are relying on a young group of pass rushers behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, and with that inexperience comes unknowns. That said, the duo of BJ Green and Danny Striggow has performed well as camp has gone on, while Zach Durfee and Wesley Williams have flashed. Can this unit find success against a new opponent?
The linebacker competition
Branson Combs and Ventrell Miller are competing for the starting role next to Foye Oluokun. The competition at this point seems to be very close. Combs brings a coverage presence to the position, while Miller has been stout in the run game. Can either Combs or Miller begin to separate from the other?
Where is Travis Hunter playing?
Given how camp has unfolded up to this point, we likely see Hunter playing more snaps at cornerback than receiver. That said, how big is the discrepancy? Also, how does he perform on each side of the ball? We’ve seen Hunter generate two interceptions so far in training camp and create a few explosive plays at wideout.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 6 things to watch for in Jaguars’ joint practice vs. Saints
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire | USA TODAY Network
