Jaguars vs. Buccaneers: 5 Players to Watch

Which players will we keep our eyes on when the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second week of the preseason?

Jul 26, 2024; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Maason Smith (94) and defensive end Jeremiah Ledbetter (99) participate in training camp at Miller Electric Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Jacksonville Jaguars will kick off Week 2 of the preseason tonight, taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at EverBank Stadium.

So, which Jaguars are we going to keep a close eye on during the preseason bout that will likely see plenty of starters sit? We break it down below.

Brenton Strange

One of the top performers in joint practices this week was Brenton Strange, who caught a touchdown in 7-on-7 red-zone drills and also caught two deep passes from Trevor Lawrence. Strange has been building some momentum in recent practices and a strong showing and a few catches on Saturday would likely do wonders for his confidence ahead of Week 1. Strange still won't be a big part of the passing game, but he deserves more targets to see what he has.

Ventrell Miller

Another week, another chance for Ventrell Miller to show why the Jaguars have held him in high regard since taking him early on Day 3 last season. Miller has fought through his hand injury to perform in practice and even in last week's game against the Chiefs, which saw him make several impressive run stops. A second week of increased reps and perhaps even a starting role with veterans on the bench could help the Jaguars see Miller take yet another step before Week 1. He is making the team, but the Jaguars are likely one injury away from seeing him in the starting lineup.

Maason Smith

After limited reps in college over the last two seasons, second-round defensive tackle Maason Smith has hardly missed a step in training camp. He has remained healthy and has flashed throughout camp, drawing praise from the coaching staff, Josh Hines-Allen and Mitch Morse. Smith should get the start at three-technique tonight, which could be the only start he makes as a rookie. It is a good chance for him to show his growth in Ryan Nielsen's defense.

Mac Jones

If you just go by Doug Pederson's comments this week, the battle for the No. 2 quarterback job between Mac Jones and C.J. Beathard is still wide open. Beathard had his best training camp as a Jaguar, which is likely no coincidence with Jones' arrival. Jones had a solid showing against the Buccaneers this week but will need a productive and efficient outing on Saturday to show he deserves to be Trevor Lawrence's backup.

Cooper Hodges

Second-year right guard Cooper Hodges has quietly had a strong camp since returning from a back injury last week, which included a good performance against the Kansas City Chiefs last week. Hodges had a solid week of practices against the Buccaneers and should get plenty of reps against the Buccaneers in relief of veteran guard Brandon Scherff. Hodges isn't pushing for a starting job in 2024, but the more he shows he can be a reliable backup, the better for the Jaguars.

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