4 Things We Learned From Jaguars' Loss to Panthers: Joey Aguilar's Impression

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- With another preseason performance turned in by the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Carolina Panthers on Friday night, there is another four quarters of lessons on Liam Coen's squad.

So, what did we learn from the Jaguars' 34-17 loss to the Panthers? We break it all down below.

Joey Aguilar Has Some Real Promise

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Joey Aguilar (17) warms up before hosting the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium in the second preseason game on Friday night, August 21, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Joey Aguilar has not been able to get a ton of reps over the course of training camp, but he has certainly made the most of his chances in the preseason. His lone pass last week was a 40+ yard bomb to set the Jaguars up to win the game, while he averaged 13 yards per attempt on Friday night and threw as many touchdowns as incompletions (1).

Aguilar is too young and inexperienced to push for the QB2 job, but he could be the Jaguars' best option at QB3. He showed off some exciting developmental traits that the Jaguars have not really had with the practice squad quarterback spot in recent seasons.

The Defensive Depth Has Been Uninspiring

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile speaks to members of the media after the sixth day of NFL training camp at the Miller Electric Center on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It was pretty clear watching Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile on the sidelines last night that he was not ... thrilled with the defensive performance. A few key backups played, but only one true starter (either Ventrell Miller or Branson Combs) was on the field for Campanile's unit, but that doesn't take away from what the depth chart put on the field on Friday.

They did have a solid opening drive against Bryce Young and the Panthers' starting offense, but things fell off after that. The Panthers scored on four of their next five drives, while the Jaguars recorded zero sacks, turnovers, or even pass breakups. The fact that so few plays were made by key pieces of the defensive depth chart is not ideal.

Nick Mullens Isn't Going Anywhere as QB2

Aug 21, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens (14) lines up against the Carolina Panthers in the first quarter during a preseason game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a tough go at it against the New Orleans Saints, Nick Mullens certainly came out of Friday with some positive momentum. Mullens went against parts of the Panthers' first-team defense but largely looked in complete command of the offense, going 6-of-7 and leading a 70+ yard field goal drive that would have ended in a touchdown if not for an Ameer Abdullah drop.

Mullens looked as good on Friday as he has in any preseason performance since signing with the Jaguars last March. The offensive line blocked better this time around, which likely played a factor, but Mullens certainly did enough in his own right to quiet any external questions on whether he was the right QB2 behind Trevor Lawrence.

Another CB May Be Needed

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Christian Braswell (21) runs out of the tunnel while being introduced before the game against the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium in the second preseason game on Friday night, August 21, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Jaguars have plenty of reason to be optimistic about their starting cornerbacks, even if the joint practices have been a bit up-and-down for the secondary this summer. But after Travis Hunter, Montaric Brown, Jourdan Lewis, and Jarrian Jones there is still a need for someone to step up to take the top depth spot. After Friday's game vs.the Panthers, it remains to be seen if that player is on the roster.

The two best candidates are veteran cornerback Christian Braswell and second-year cornerback Jabbar Muhammad. Neither had a great outing against the Panthers' passing attack on Friday, though, and the Jaguars look like a team that might be in the market for a cornerback once the first waiver wire is put together.

Add us as a preferred source on Google