5 Jaguars to Watch in Joint Practices vs. the Buccaneers

The Jacksonville Jaguars will kick off the first of two joint practices against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wednesday, marking a spirited week of training camp at the Miller Electric Center.

“These go all the way back to the spring when the preseason scheduling and the games—you're talking about games and things of that nature—so we've been talking since May, quite honestly, and putting everything together," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said earlier this week,

"Kind of sign off on it back then so that now the coordinators can just get together and do the scripting and things of that nature.”

So, which players will we watch over the next two days?

Walker Little

The Jaguars seemingly have not held an official left tackle battle in camp, but who knows if a week like this week could change that. Part of the reason is because Walker Little has had to take reps at right tackle due to Anton Harrison's concussion earlier in camp. With Harrison now back in the fold, Little can take all of his practice reps at left tackle. Going against Tampa Bay's edge unit should be a solid test for Little and Cam Robinson.

Brian Thomas Jr.

The No. 23 pick has been a consistent performer in training camp over the last week, and it would certainly be encouraging to see the rookie wide receiver continue the trend against a different group of cornerbacks. There is only so much you can learn from watching Thomas go against Ronald Darby for the 25th time in camp. Going against a solid secondary should do a lot for the evaluation of Thomas this week.

Jarrian Jones

It has been a quiet camp for Jarrian Jones after a red-hot offseason, but the third-round pick is clearly a player the Jaguars are grooming for a larger role in the future. But after so many weeks against the same wide receivers in training camp, Jones will get a chance to face off against a different set of pass-catchers. This means new experiences and different skill sets for Jones to adjust to, which will be invaluable for the rookie cornerback.

Maason Smith

One of the most encouraging rookies in training camp this year has been second-round defensive tackle Maason Smith. Smith even started to get some run with the Jaguars' starting defense on Tuesday, though this would translate him to being the No. 2 three-technique behind Arik Armstead when everyone is healthy. Still, Smith has climbed the depth chart and could keep himself near the top with solid performances against an opposing offensive line.

Devin Lloyd

Devin Lloyd is set to be a huge part of the Jaguars' defense this season, but the third-year linebacker is still relatively unproven in the middle of the unit. The first preseason game was an up and down experience for the former first-rounder, so a few days of practice against the Buccaneers running backs and tight ends should be a good experience for Lloyd. With Foyesade Oluokun nursing a hamstring injury, Lloyd will be the linebacker to watch.