The 5 Toughest Roster Decisions the Jaguars Will Have to Make

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are just a few days away from having to make the toughest decisions of the 2026 season.

NFL cut-down day is on Sunday afternoon, and the Jaguars' roster will be officially trimmed from 90 to 53 until the practice squad is formed shortly after. For the Jaguars, that means there are several decisions left that will be difficult to make.

"I think we're going to have some difficult decisions for sure. It's never easy. That day you definitely dread as a coach and the personnel department because so many of these guys that are here right now are helping forge our 2026 season, and you want to keep them all," Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said on Tuesday.

lia — Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen speaks to members of the media after a joint Buccaneers‑Jaguars NFL practice at the Miller Electric Center on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"You want to be able to have a part in all of their development and work. But when you've elevated the roster, hopefully you're continuing to raise the floor and get these guys to have a little bit more competition at key spots. I think when you're having to make difficult decisions at cut time, hopefully your football team is going to be a little better.”

Som what are the toughest calls Coen and general manager James Gladstone will have to make this week? We break it down below.

The Fourth TE

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Quintin Morris (80) runs the ball during the fifth day of NFL training camp at the Miller Electric Center on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Today marked the first full‑pads practice. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Jaguars have three tight end spots already set between Brenton Strange and rookies Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol. The next question is whether the Jaguars do in fact intend to carry four tight ends as opposed to three, and then there is the question of which veteran tight end could take that final spot.

The Jaguars could always start the year with three tight ends and hope to get Quintin Morris and/or Hunter Long on the practice squad and then activate them for game day to serve as the fourth tight end; this is how the Jaguars got Morris onto the active roster at the start of 2025. But if they do keep four, then they will have to pick between one of the two backups, each of whom has their own arguments to stick around.

The Backup CB Spots

Jaguars cornerback Christian Braswell (21) runs a drill as the Jaguars held their final Organized Team Activity on Monday, June 15, 2026 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

We know the Jaguars have four cornerback spots locked up between Travis Hunter, Montaric Brown, Jarrian Jones, and Jourdan Lewis. The question then is whether the Jaguars would carry five cornerbacks or six; five would make sense considering the numbers on defense, but six would give the Jaguars insurance for Travis Hunter as he dabbles on the offensive side.

If the Jaguars keep six cornerbacks, it is pretty clear the last two spots would go to Jabbar Muhammad and Christian Braswell. But if the Jaguars only keep five cornerbacks, they will have to pick between the two. Braswell has the experience and special teams edge, while Muhammad has been making plays all training camp. This would not be an easy call to make.

Chuma Edoga

I go back-and-forth with Chuma Edoga's spot on the 53-man roster. We entered training camp believing that, if everyone was healthy, he would be the No. 10 offensive lineman and potentially on the roster bubble. Cole Van Lanen did start the season on the Active/PUP list, which bumped Edoga up to No. 9. Then Patrick Mekari missed the entirety of camp with a back injury, leading to Edoga looking like a potentially safe player for the 53, at least at the start of the season.

But Van Lanen returned from the PUP list last week and has gone through individual periods in practice as he prepares for a potential Week 1 debut. The Jaguars also traded for offensive lineman Daniel Faalele last week from the New York Giants, which has seemingly pushed Edoga back down to the No. 10 spot.

The Jaguars could always carry 10 offensive linemen to ensure they have the proper depth needed, and the gap between Edoga and the No. 11 lineman on the roster is as big as the gap between Edoga and one of the Jaguars' starters. But if they only keep nine, this could be a tough decision to make.

The Final DE Spot

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. (57) pressures Carolina Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett (12) in the second quarter 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

I came into training camp thinking the defensive end spot was one that was wrapped up from the jump. While I do not think much has changed since then, I am curious about the direction the Jaguars go with when it comes to the sixth and final projected defensive end spot. We know Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker will lead the group, and B.J. Green and Danny Striggow seem secure in their spots as the No. 3 and No. 4 defensive ends. Wesley Williams was a fourth-round pick, so he won't be going anywhere, either.

That leaves the final spot, which could be assumed to go to seventh-rounder Zach Durfee. It feels unlikely that Durfee would clear waivers if the Jaguars do not go into the season with him on the 53, but it would also be incredibly tough for the Jaguars to cut undrafted defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. after the summer he has had.

Thomas has been the best of the three rookie edge rushers and has consistently showed out in the preseason. It feels like a real coin-flip between him and Durfee after the last two weeks. I would not be surprised if Thomas lands on the roster as the only undrafted rookie to make the 53.

Yasir Abdullah or Jalen McLeod?

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Patrick Herbert (88), left, drills with linebacker Jalen McLeod (35) during the third day of NFL Training Camp at the Miller Electric Center on Friday, July 31, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

We knew entering training camp that there would be a battle for the backup spot behind Dennis Gardeck at outside linebacker, and not much has really changed for both Yasir Abdullah and Jalen McLeod since. McLeod has stood out more in practices and had the early momentum before sitting out for a bit. Abdullah had a strong first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints but has been a bit quiet since then.

The argument for each player is honestly the same as it was entering camp. McLeod offers more upside on defense and he seems to have a skill-set that, if developed, could really help Anthony Campanile's unit at some point. Abdullah has not carved out such a potential role on defense, but his strength is as a special teams ace. Essentially, the Jaguars will have to decide here whether they value upside or special teams value more for this roster spot.

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