The Jacksonville Jaguars have a well-rounded defense. They have a dominant pair of pass rushers in Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, and their linebacker corps is one of the best in the NFL. That said, safety remains a work in progress. There's currently an intense battle for the starting spot next to Eric Murray, and there's not a clear-cut candidate to come out on top just yet.
ESPN Nation drew up a list of every team's position battle to keep an eye on in training camp, and picked safety for the Jags, with Michael DiRocco noting that Andrew Wingard appears to be the early favorite to get the nod.
"Eric Murray, whom the Jaguars signed in free agency, is locked in at one spot," DiRocco wrote. The other has been a rotation of Andrew Wingard, Darnell Savage, and Antonio Johnson."
DiRocco continued, "Wingard, who has had 28 starts with the Jaguars since 2019, had all but won the starting job over Johnson next to Andre Cisco last season, but a knee injury cost him the first nine games of the season. He would be considered the slight favorite at this point, but that could change once the preseason begins."
Aside from safety, the Jaguars are also holding a position battle at running back. However, Tank Bigsby appears to be a lock to be the top option, with Travis Etienne potentially getting a role as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. On the other hand, Jacksonville still needs time to sort out the safety room.
The team posted its first unofficial depth chart just before the preseason, and it lists Wingard or Johnson as the starter, and Murray or Savage for the extra spots.
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Antonio Johnson and Darnell Savage could make a strong push for the Jaguars
All things considered, it's a bit surprising that Michael DiRocco didn't bring up rookie Caleb Ransaw as a candidate to start next to Eric Murray. After all, the former Tulane Green Wave has gotten massive praise throughout the offseason because of his tackling skills, and there has been chatter that he could start at some point of 2025.
Having said that, Ransaw is currently week-to-week with a leg injury, so it's understandable that he's trailing behind his veteran counterparts and will have some catch-up to do once he's back in the fold. In the meantime, Andrew Wingard appears to be the frontrunner to come away with the job. However, he's a solid starter at best. That could allow either Antonio Johnson or Darnell Savage to make a push.
Savage, a first-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2019, signed with the Jaguars last year but mostly lined up at nickel early in the season. Eventually, though, the former Maryland Terrapin would move to his more familiar spot at safety. Thus far, head coach Liam Coen has been pleased with him and the work he's put in.
Johnson, on the other hand, flashed in the slot as a rookie in 2023 and moved to safety last season. Expected to break out, he instead struggled and was benched at some point. The East St. Louis, Illinois native eventually got back into the starting lineup and now has gotten leaner in an effort to bounce back.
Based on how things have unfolded, the competition could continue well into the preseason, and nobody will bat an eye if either Darnell Savage or Antonio Johnson takes things to the wire.
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