3 Takeaways as Jaguars' Preseason Slate Becomes Finalized

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars officially announced their three-game preseason slate on Wednesday, and we now know what the final preparations for Week 1 and beyond will look like.

The Jaguars will visit the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 15 at 4 p.m. before a two-game homestand at EverBank Stadium to finish the exhibition season. The Jaguars play the Carolina Panthers in Jacksonville at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 21 before finishing the preseason vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 28.

So, what do we make of the final touches to the Jaguars' unveiled 2026 schedule? We break it down below.

This Preseason Will Look Much Different

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen made it clear at owners meetings in March how much value he sees in joint practices ... and what little value he sees in his starters playing in the preseason. The Jaguars' starters played in the first two preseason games last year, but that should look a good bit different this year as the Jaguars can finally kick off a series of joint practices. With those practices lined up and the preseason dates set up, we can now have an idea of what those joint practices will look like.

The Jaguars playing the Panthers six days after the Saints game gives them a smaller window to fit in joint practices, which could mean that practice comes closer to game day than the other two. But regardless of when the practices are held, it is clear as day that those practices will be the real preseason for Coen and his starters. That does not take away from the value of the preseason for fringe players, of course, but it will look a lot different than last year.

Why the Buccaneers Game is Important

jason lich — Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Buccaneers joint practice and preseason game will absolutely grab some headlines in August. The Buccaneers as a franchise, fan base, and arguably community as a whole had very unpleasant reactions to Coen leaving for the Jaguars job. They were proven right to an extent as their offense fell apart without him, though that was as predictable as heat in a Florida summer. With that said, that is not why this game is important.

The Jaguars will only play six regular-season home games in Jacksonville over the next two years as a result of the renovations at EverBank Stadium. The Jaguars do have a Monday Night Football Game toward the end of the year at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Buccaneers game will serve as the second-to-last night game in the original Bank. Soak it in, Jaguars fans. It will be missed in 2027, but 2028 should be rocking.

Which Game Matters the Most

Let me clarify this take by saying none of these preseason games really matter. Remember how bad the Jaguars' defense looked against the Steelers in Week 1 of the preseason last year? When it comes to impacting their 2026 and beyond, none of these games is large in scale. With that said, I believe the Panthers game is the most important one for players on the bubble looking to make the team.

Yes, they will have the third and final preseason game to make an impact. But with Week 2 just six days after Week 1, it stands to reason that most of the important Week 2 practice reps will go to the Jaguars' starters and key players, at an even higher clip than likely Week 1 and Week 3. This makes this entire week and game mean more for the rest of the Jaguars' roster hopefuls.

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