JACKSONVILLE – The final 53-man roster is set, and now it is time for football.
jaguars
The final cuts were not easy, with players who
had been through the organizational rebuild
from Day One told that their time with the
Jaguars was through.
“Guys that have been here for our tenure and
guys we are very fond of as individuals and
football players, those guys played a lot of
football for us and did some good things,”
Jaguars General Manager Dave Caldwell said
last Saturday.
“It is kind of bittersweet that we now have
enough talent on the roster where we feel
that we have upgraded, but bitter because we
do not like to see those guys go. They have
been a great part of it and we have great
relationships with those guys.”
After claiming a couple of players off waivers,
mainly for special teams depth and to
compete defensively, the Jaguars have been
focused solely on a quick start in today’s
season-opening game against the Green Bay
Packers.
Starting fast has been a theme throughout
training camp and the 2016 preseason, but
could prove to be a challenge against a
perennial playoff team such as the Green Bay
Packers.
“That is something that we harp on – we like
to start fast and finish faster,” Jaguars Head
Coach Gus Bradley said early this week. “It’s
not just how we start. It’s the whole game and
the consistency.”
For a starting offense that struggled for
yardage and consistency in the third preseason
game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the
Jaguars are looking to find their stride in the
opener.
“I think for us the important part is to stay
on schedule, offensively,” Bradley said. “That
is where, in the preseason, we had some firstand-20s or first-and-15s. That’s what we don’t
want to do. We want to make sure we stay on
schedule.”
A lot of that consistency starts up front on the
offensive line, where the Jaguars will get their
first full-game look at Kelvin Beachum at left
tackle beside Luke Joeckel at left guard.
“I think it’s going great for us,” Beachum said
during the final preseason game. “I think it’s
going to be great to just have two guys that
play a lot of football playing next to each
other… Me and Luke are doing a great job at
getting that relationship and chemistry, so I’m
looking forward to it.”
“I’ve got to get more comfortable at guard
and when I’m in there I’ve got to be the best
guard I can be,” Joeckel said earlier in the
preseason. “There are no excuses; I’ve got to
keep getting reps and get more comfortable
quickly.”
“I THINK FOR US THE IMPORTANT PART IS TO STAY ON SCHEDULE,
OFFENSIVELY,”
— Gus Bradley