5 Jaguars to Watch in Joint Practices vs. Buccaneers: Brian Thomas Jr.'s Time

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are set to enter the last two days of training camp on Tuesday and Wednesday, and each day is sure to have plenty of action thanks to the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So, which Jaguars will we keep our eyes on the closest during the pair of joint practices with the Buccaneers? We break it down below.

WR Brian Thomas Jr.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) looks on during 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

Jaguars veteran receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has always been a star in joint practices; he broke out in his rookie training camp with a stellar performance against the Buccaneers, performed well in last year's practice against the Miami Dolphins, and has once again thrived in the Jaguars' joint practices in 2026. With Jakobi Meyers' status up in the air, Thomas should also get plenty of volume alongside Parker Washington.

Thomas has built plenty of momentum entering Week 1, with the third-year wideout's connection with Trevor Lawrence seeming to improve not just downfield, but also in the intermediate part of the field. Another big practice against the Buccaneers should solidify that upward trend entering Week 1's bout with the Cleveland Browns.

OL Emmanuel Pregnon

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon (75), right, drills on offensive tackle Anton Harrison (77) during the third day of minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It would be a shock if the Jaguars' first-team offensive line does not continue to have Emmanuel Pregnon at left guard this week. Pregnon impressed with the promotion last week, and the Jaguars have kept him there in recent practice days even with the return of multiple offensive linemen from injuries. Signs are pointing toward Pregnon starting in Week 1, which means the Buccaneers will be his last real test before then.

Pregnon has displayed great power as a run-defender and has been stout in pass-protection, but Tampa Bay's defense will likely test different parts of his game. His ability to diagnose blitzes and pass-rush games that the Buccaneers throw at the Jaguars could be the greatest sign yet of whether he is truly ready to be a Week 1 starter.

DL Travon Walker

I thought Travon Walker was extremely disruptive in last week's joint practice against the Panthers, but the Buccaneers should offer a much better test. The Buccaneers' offensive line is a few tiers above where the Panthers are at, plus they have a big-money duo at offensive tackle that should test the Jaguars' pass-rush. Walker has had probably the best camp he has ever had just in terms of pure disruption, and continuing this against the Buccaneers would be an impressive step.

I would expect Walker's role this season to see him moved around the defensive front a bit more, so watching him work against the Buccaneers' offensive line from a variety of alignments will be fascinating. He has all of the traits to be a game-wrecker for any offense, and he has the potential to do it in this week's practices.

CB Travis Hunter

Jacksonville Jaguars Cornerback/Wide Receiver Travis Hunter (12) prepares to run a drill during the Jacksonville Jaguars seventh day of NFL Training Camp at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla., Thursday August 6, 2026. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It seems safe to say that we are going to see Travis Hunter at cornerback for the duration of this week's practices. Going against a passing game and skill group that has been highly productive in the past should be a great test for Hunter ahead of Week 1, which will likely be the game in which he sees his biggest exposure to cornerback yet in his NFL career.

Hunter has the talent to be one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL and he had some impressive showings vs. Tetairoa McMillan last week. The Jaguars need to make more big plays in the secondary, and he feels like he is their best hope to doing that, both in this week's practices and when the regular season begins.

TE Nate Boerkircher

Jaguars rookie tight end Nate Boerkircher caught a touchdown against the Panthers last week and had some highs and lows as a blocker against an impressive edge group. What kind of step he takes in both areas against the Buccaneers could indicate to us how ready he is to make a Week 1 impact in Liam Coen's offense.

Boerkircher will likely see Rueben Bain in a few reps in the running game, and I am interested to see how he holds up after a few losses in the run game last week. As a pass-catcher, he will be facing a better secondary this week than a week ago, so his performance in the red-zone will be notable.

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