Week 1 of the regular season is quickly approaching, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are gearing up for their matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Ahead of the game, they release their first official depth chart, and with it, they put an end to one of their biggest offseason questions.
Mia O'Brien of ESPN Radio posted the Jags' first depth chart of the regular season. There are many things that stand out. For starters, Travis Etienne is getting the starting nod over fellow running back Tank Bigsby. This isn't necessarily surprising when you take into account that the No. 1 in the preseason.
Similarly, Devin Lloyd is listed as the starter next to Foyesade Oluokun at linebacker. This is noteworthy because Ventrell Miller had previously gotten the distinction. Having said that, what's more surprising about the depth chart lies at the safety position.
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Andrew Wingard and Eric Murray will start at safety for the Jaguars
The Jaguars signed Eric Murray in free agency. Given that they gave him a three-year deal worth $19.5 million, it was fair to assume that he was going to start at one safety spot in 2025. The official depth chart confirms that. Heck, that's never been disputed. The question was who would take the spot next to him. The answer is Andrew Wingard.
Dewey is listed as the starter next to Murray, while Antonio Johnson and Darnell Savage are the backups. While this isn't a surprise, there were many ways this could have played out.
Back in training camp, Wingard, Johnson, and Savage made compelling cases to start. Ultimately, Jacksonville went with one of its longest tenured players.
An undrafted free agent in 2019, Winagrad has appeared in 86 games with 28 starts in six seasons with the Black & Teal. He's logged five interceptions, 13 passes defensed, and three forced fumbles.
Andrew Wingard brings ample experience to the Jaguars starting lineup
Andrew Wingard made the initial 53-man roster as a rookie. He progressively worked his way up the depth chart and became a full-time starter in 2021. The former Wyoming Cowboy took on a backup role the following year, but the Jags still gave him a three-year extension worth $9 million because of his contributions on special teams and how much of a team leader he was.
Wingard was reportedly having the best training camp of his career in 2024 before he suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss a good chunk of the regular season. A new regime took over earlier this year, and the Arvada, Colorado native once again had to prove himself. One look at the depth chart for Week 1 shows that the team's brass is pleased with him.
Having said that, this is a fluid situation, and nobody will bat an eye if the coaching staff makes changes to the starting lineup as the season passes.
For the time being, though, Andrew Wingard should be hyped up that he's back in the starting lineup.
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