With a new regime in place, the Jacksonville Jaguars are putting an emphasis on competition at several positions this offseason. That will give several players the opportunity to potentially earn a roster spot.
Sure, there's plenty of time left before the regular season begins, but players will have to make an impression at Organized Team Activities if they want to earn consideration for a roster spot. After all, this is the time of the year when players are honing their skills and learning the new scheme. But if they don't show progress, they won't get many chances to show out in training camp and the preseason.
With that in mind, here are five Jaguars who must take advantage of OTAs if they don't want to be left out of the 53-man roster.
John Wolford, Jaguars quarterback
Not long after Liam Coen became the head coach earlier this year, the Jags re-signed quarterback John Wolford. This makes sense when you take into account that he signed to their practice squad after spending the 2024 offseason and training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But aside from their time with the Bucs, Coen also coached Wolford when he was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. Having said that, their relationship may not be enough to help the Wake Forest product make the Jaguars' roster next season.
Trevor Lawrence is entrenched behind center, and Nick Mullens is slated to be his primary backup. Unless Wolford turns heads, he'll have a shot at making the 53-man roster. On top of that, he'll need to fend off undrafted free agent Seth Henigan, who's gotten plenty of praise from Coen. This is a long-winded way to say that Wolford may be on the outside looking in come Week 1.
Joshua Cephus, Jaguars wide receiver
Every year, there's hype surrounding a potential undrafted gem. For the Jaguars in 2024, it was wide receiver Joshua Cephus. Last offseason, the former UTSA Roadrunner consistently got the spotlight but routinely showed that he had a long way to go. Ultimately, he ended up landing in the practice squad.
Cephus was eventually elevated to the practice squad but didn't register a single stat. Still, the new regime thought enough of him to sign him to a future contract. Now, he'll get a fresh start but will need to prove he's better than undrafted rookies Eli Pancol and J.J. Jones.
Tyler Lacy, Jaguars defensive lineman
The Jaguars didn't make any upgrades to the defensive trenches in free agency or the draft. However, they signed pass rusher Emmanuel Ogbah and inked a trio of undrafted free agents in the aftermath: Danny Striggow, Ethan Downs, and Eli Mostaert. This isn't great news for Tyler Lacy, who could be on the fringe ahead of training camp.
Lacy, a fourth-round pick in 2023, hasn't done enough the past two years to make you think he'll earn a significant role in the Jags' defensive line rotation next year. Even with an uptick in playing time last season, he was unremarkable.
If the undrafted rookies flash at OTAs and training camp, Lacy will probably be a victim of the numbers game.
Javon Foster, Jaguars offensive lineman
The Jaguars tried to add depth to the offensive trenches last season, but their attempt fell flat. Back in the draft, they used a fourth-round pick on Javon Foster. So far, they haven't gotten a return on their investment. Throughout most of the regular season, the former Mizzou Tiger was a healthy scratch. Couple that with the fact that the Jags added Chuma Edoga and Fred Johnson in the offseason, and his odds of sticking around aren't precisely high.
Sure, Foster will get a chance to compete under the new regime, but based on his body of work, it's hard to see him taking advantage of it.
Louis Rees-Zammit, Jaguars wide receiver
There's no doubt that Louis Rees-Zammit oozes potential, but at some point, you have to produce if you want to get playing time. A professional rugby player, he made the transition to football and earned a roster spot with the Kansas City Chiefs last offseason.
Rees-Zammit was waived before the 2024 season and eventually landed with the Jags. It was in Jacksonville that he switched from running back to wide receiver, but ultimately wasn't able to step on the football field.
Following the 2024 season, the front office signed Rees-Zammit to the roster but reverted him back to the exempt/international player list to earn an extra roster spot for the offseason.
Like fellow receiver Joshua Cephus, Rees-Zammit has an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster.
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