7 Key Jaguars Backups to Watch During Preseason Opener vs. Saints

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars will begin the first of three preseason games on Saturday, kicking off in their preseason opener vs. the New Orleans Saints at 4 p.m.

With the Jaguars expected to sit their starters when the first whistle blows against the Saints on Saturday, the first week of the preseason will allow the Jaguars to get a good look at some important backups. So, which ones are we going to keep our eyes closely on? We break it all down below.

RB Ameer Abdullah

Ameer Abdullah has been one of the bigger surprises of training camp thus far, entering the summer as mostly an afterthought before quickly establishing himself as one of the top backup running backs on the roster over the first several weeks of training camp. With the Jaguars' top three running backs unlikely to play much in the preseason opener after each seemingly got extensive reps in joint practices, it would make sense to see Abdullah start the game for the Jaguars.

The chances of Abdullah cracking the 53-man roster seems low even in a best-case scenario, but he could cement himself as the top option for the team's RB4 spot on the practice squad with impressive showings in the preseason. That starts with Saturday's game against the Saints.

DL Ruke Orhorhoro

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (99) prepares to hit a blocking sled 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

Perhaps the Jaguars do not end up playing Ruke Orhorhoro much in the preseason, but he isn't a starter and Arik Armstead is certainly not going to play. So in the event Orhorhoro does get some snaps against the Saints (and he has yet to separate himself as a player who should be sat), it could be a good chance for him to impress against a team he has played before in the NFC South.

It stands to reason that the Jaguars are still set to see Orhorhoro and veteran defensive tackle Matt Dickerson duke it out for backup defensive tackle reps. If Orhorhoro wants to win the top backup spot, he will have to put together some good film during the preseason.

EDGE Bryan Thomas Jr.

We will get to the rest of the Jaguars' young edge defenders in a different space, but if there is one undrafted rookie in the front seven I am interested in seeing it is Bryan Thomas Jr. The South Carolina product has had some impressive flashes in training camp and has some legit burst as a pass-rusher, which could make him a defender to watch on Saturday.

It was this time a year ago when the Jaguars saw B.J. Green and Danny Striggow impress during the preseason and help make their case for the 53-man roster. While it may be hard for Thomas to do the same due to the depth the Jaguars have at defensive end, he could earn himself a practice squad spot moving forward.

RB J'Mari Taylor

I had big expectations for undrafted rookie running back J'Mari Taylor entering the summer, and while he has flashed at times, he has not taken command of the RB4 spot like I assumed he would. We have already noted the way that Ameer Abdullah has seemingly taken hold of the RB4 spot instead of Abdullah or DeeJay Dallas, but the preseason is when that could change.

With live reps during the preseason serving as a much different stage than practice reps during training camp, now is the time for Taylor to start flashing and stepping his game up. Ball security will be a critical part of that, but seeing how he generates explosive runs and plays in the passing game will be critical to watch.

CB Devon Marshall

One of the top cornerbacks for the Jaguars in training camp has been second-year corner Jabbar Muhammad, who spent last year on the practice squad after signing with the franchise as an undrafted free agent. After a red-shirt season as a rookie, Muhammad has been able to quickly rise in his second season. Could that player be Devon Marshall next year?

Like Muhammad, Marshall signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent after a successful and productive college career. He has made plenty of plays over the course of training camp, and making plays in the preseason could continue to help his case moving forward.

QBs Carter Bradley and Joey Aguilar

With Trevor Lawrence clearly not going to play against the Saints, that will mean plenty of snaps for the Jaguars' other quarterbacks. The QB3 job seems like it is going in Bradley's direction, but that could always change over the course of the preseason due to performances against live defenses. If either quarterback is going to take a big leap over the other during the battle for the practice squad spot, it will happen over these next three gammes.

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