The Jacksonville Jaguars concluded their 2025 preseason run with a 14-6 loss to the Miami Dolphins Saturday night.
Jacksonville went 0-2-1 during the preseason which is largely unimportant in the grand scheme of things. What is important is how the players and coaches performed in their final tune-up before the regular season.
Through three games, plenty of players flashed while almost as many just simply didn’t do enough to make the final 53-man roster. Especially on Saturday, a handful of defensive players might have pushed themselves over the edge and onto the final roster with their play.
Playing against the Miami starters, this collection of backup and reserve defenders made the Dolphins look silly to start the night.
The defense forced two three-and-outs against Tua Tagovailoa and company to open the game and even recorded a sack on the first drive from roster-riser Danny Striggow. Overall, the defense recorded six sacks and seven tackles for loss.
Outside of Striggow, a big day was had by none other than Yasir Abdullah, who had a sack and two tackles for loss. That type of performance might have even kept him on the roster. Rookie linebacker Jack Kiser (more on him below) had a big night as well and might have edged out linebacker Chad Muma on the final roster.
A lot of guys on defense who needed to have big days did. It was a much more promising end to the preseason than how the defense started out the preseason against Pittsburgh.
Austin Trammell
Another guy who likely secured himself a spot on the 53 was receiver Austin Trammell, who did a little bit of everything this preseason.
Trammell ended the day as the team’s leading receiver with a trio of catches for 21 yards. He also rushed for 17 yards on two carries. He wasn’t used as a returner Saturday but he did fine in that department in previous games.
Every year, there is always one Jags receiver that people clamor for to make the edge of the receiving depth chart. This year’s guy is Trammell. Good for him.
Jack Kiser
Someone who didn’t have to worry about getting cut, but more so about how much he would play, is Kiser.
Kiser spent the preseason battling with the incumbent Muma for PT and a spot in the linebacking corps. After Saturday, there is little reason to think that Kiser isn’t already a better option than Muma. His sack right before halftime was probably the final nail for Muma, but that’s how the NFL goes sometimes.
It looks like Kiser is going to be everything the Jags drafted him to be after an incredibly successful career at Notre Dame.
Reserved spot for Cam Little
It’s possible Cam Little makes the Winners list every week.
Little finished his preseason finale with two field goal makes, one from 40 and the other from 59. A 59-yard field goal is still really long, but when you have someone like Little, it feels like he’s good to kick from anywhere on the field. The previous front office regime made plenty of bad moves. Drafting Little was not at all one of them.
LOSERS Chad Muma
Speaking of bad moves, it would appear that drafting Muma in the third round of the 2022 draft was ultimately a bad call.
Muma played great his rookie year when thrust onto the scene. Nothing much has come from him since, when regularly he’s juked out of his cleats on national television. Sometimes even in cartoon form!
Kiser is a more dynamic player and a little bit younger. You can’t keep everyone, so it seems Muma is likely done in Duval.
Backup quarterbacks
Yes, last night was two guys fighting it out for a third quarterback spot or most likely a practice squad place. And yes it was unimpressive. But one of these guys will be staying in Duval.
There are two schools of thought with which quarterback on who to keep between Jacksonville-native Seth Henigan and veteran John Wolford.
Wolford has been around, is a known cerebral guy and could provide some leadership to Trevor Lawrence (maybe, sort of, kind of right??). Henigan is an exciting young player who actually knows head coach Liam Coen from before they were in Jacksonville.
This ultimately is the least important roster decision of them all, but it still is a fun one to think about. My pick would be Henigan.
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