4 Position Battles to Watch After Jaguars Offseason Program: RB Heats Up

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are officially on summer break, and a month from now they will be kicking off the first days of training camp.

With the offseason program now behind us, we are taking a look at three of the most interesting position battles in the wake of OTAs and minicamp. Four battles that will take center stage during training camp and will impact the Jaguars significantly come Week 1.

RB: Chris Rodriguez Jr. vs Bhayshul Tuten vs. LeQuint Allen

It is worth noting that LeQuint Allen should also be factored into here, even if the battle to lead the Jaguars' post-Travis Etienne rushing attack seems like it is between Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten. That is because Allen still looks like he is set to play a healthy amount of third-down and two-minute snaps for the Jaguars at running back due to his ability to pass-protect, and it stands to reason he could be utilized more as a receiver than he was as a rookie.

The bulk of the touches in the running back room will be divided between Tuten, the team's fourth-round pick and short-yardage back a year ago, and Rodriguez, their lone free agent addition who was not on the field during the offseason program. How those touches will be tallied up is amongst the top unanswered questions facing the Jaguars entering 2026, if not the biggest of them all.

There was no clarity added to this situation during the offseason program due to Rodriguez's situation, but Jaguars head coach Liam Coen has said he will be back in training camp. This is a position that was always going to be decided once the pads come on, though. Tuten and Rodriguez have very different skill-sets, even if they share some similarities in terms of their ability to break tackles and get yards after contact.

If there seems like there could be one deciding factor, it may be the passing game. Yes, Allen will take a lot of the work there, but Coen spoke a year ago when it came to Tank Bigsby that the offense can not become predictable due to a running back's passing game traits. Tuten flashed in the screen game last year, while Rodriguez has not been featured much in the passing game since the year he played for Coen at Kentucky.

RG: Patrick Mekari vs. Wyatt Milum

nfl\ — Jacksonville Jaguars guard Wyatt Milum (64), left, drills on guard Sal Wormley (61) during a rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If I had to guess today who is the starting right guard in Week 1, I would say Patrick Mekari due to his experience. But it does feel like second-year offensive lineman Wyatt Milum, a top-100 pick just a year ago, is in a good place to compete with Mekari for a spot in the starting lineup. Milum pushing Mekari at right guard seems more likely than a rookie Emmanuel Pregnon pushing Ezra Cleveland at the left guard spot, especially since the left tackle role might be up in the air for a bit.

Milum battled injuries at the end of training camp last year that helped ensure he spent his rookie season as a backup, but he has said this offseason that he is 100% healthy and feels the strongest he ever has. The offseason is a good time to say that, of course, but it is fair to assume that Milum is a much better place now than he was last August when he was battling through both injuries and a transition to the NFL.

That is not to say Mekari seems like a player who would be easy to knock out of a starting spot. Mekari dealt with his own injuries a year ago but his versatility and experience make him a valuable piece of the offensive line, and Milum will really have to show something if he is going to step into the right guard role.

Mekari was the Jaguars' biggest free agent addition a year ago, but Milum was also drafted so highly for a reason. Whoever is not starting at right guard in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns will likely be the top backup across the entire offensive line until injuries force them into a role at some point or another.

DE: Danny Striggow vs. B.J. Green vs. Wesley Williams vs. Zach Durfee

I will add the caveat that I think second-year defensive end Danny Striggow has the inside track to the No. 3 defensive end spot behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. With that said, this is a Jaguars regime that places an actual emphasis on competition instead of just using talking points about it, and someone will have to earn the spot on the practice field once the pads come on.

With Dawuane Smoot and Emmanuel Ogbah departing this offseason, though, there are a ton of snaps to around in the defensive end room, even outside of the No. 3 defensive end role. We saw Striggow and B.J. Green shine in rotational roles such as this a year ago as undrafted rookies, and the addition of rookies Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee adds to the battle for snaps and roles in Anthony Campanile's defense.

Green's experience and athletic traits could earn him a solid place in the pass-rush rotation no matter what. With that in mind, the Jaguars used a fourth-round pick on Wesley Williams for a reason. It stands to reason that everyone in the room will play at some point or another; it just remains to be seen how much.

WLB: Ventrell Miller vs. Branson Combs

We have discussed before how former undrafted linebacker Branson Combs was able to play his way into the conversation at linebacker during the offseason program, even if it still seems like the most obvious candidate to start in Week 1 is still Ventrell Miller. The Jaguars' veteran linebacker has started games before, including two games for this regime last season, and he could have a true breakout season if he wins the job.

But this Jaguars' regime has proven that this caveat must be included. Miller pushed Devin Lloyd for the job last season, even splitting reps with him as late in the process as Week 1 vs. the Carolina Panthers. He got a fair shot last year, and Combs will likely get a fair one this year.

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