2023 Jacksonville Jaguars 53-man roster projection: Who's in, who's out on initial roster?
For the Jacksonville Jaguars, the season's expectations couldn't be higher. The roster itself has been expertly crafted by both general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson. The depth of the roster is something Jacksonville hasn't enjoyed in many seasons.
The team is set to open the 2023 regular season at the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence led the team and one of the most explosive offenses in the league late last season. With the addition of receiver Calvin Ridley, that should only get better. But the team is looking for rising stars on its defensive unit, players such as Travon Walker and Devin Lloyd are expected to be the future leaders of the defensive front seven at outside linebacker and inside linebacker, respectively.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. There will be a slew of other moves the following day as teams, including the Jaguars, make claims on waived players. The 32 teams will also fill out a 16-man practice squad that can including six unlimited-year vested veterans.
Here is a projection for the Jaguars:
*Bold denotes rookie
Offense
Quarterbacks (2)
Trevor Lawrence
C.J. Beathard
Out: Nathan Rourke
Analysis: The Jaguars enter and exit with two quarterbacks on the roster even with the league incorporating a new third-quarterback rule that allows teams to carry three quarterbacks on gameday without impacting the 46-man active game-day roster. While the rule is enticing, Jacksonville's quarterback room is healthy and there are likely other roster spots that will hold a priority.
Rourke is a candidate to return to Jacksonville on their practice squad.
Running backs (4)
Tank Bigsby
JaMycal Hasty
D'Ernest Johnson
Out: Snoop Conner, Qadree Ollison
Analysis: Jacksonville rebooted its running back depth chart this offseason, signing Johnson via free agency and drafting Bigsby in the third round of this year's draft. Jacksonville moves on from Snoop Conner, who they traded up to get in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Both he and Ollison didn't do enough to make the team.
Wide receivers (6)
Calvin Ridley
Christian Kirk
Zay Jones
Jamal Agnew
Tim Jones
Parker Washington
Out: Jacob Harris, Kevin Austin Jr., Seth Williams, Kendric Pryor, Elijah Cooks, Oliver Martin, Juray Jenkins
Analysis: Jacksonville's top four consisting of Ridley, Kirk, Zay Jones and Agnew were locked in far before the offseason began. Washington is a rookie the team feels strongly about as a backup return specialist and will make the roster. The toughest battle was between Tim Jones, Harris, Austin Jr., Willaims, Pryor, Cooks, Martin and Jenkins.
Ultimately, the position is going to one of the team's top special teams players on coverage units. That list consists of Tim Jones, Harris, Williams and Cooks. Tim Jones made the team's roster last season and understands the playbook intently, he is a good blocker on offense and a standout special teamer.
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All four players had fantastic preseasons. Tim Jones hauled in a 74-yard touchdown reception during the team's third preseason game. Willaims caught two passes for 50 yards, including an impressive 43-yard reception, while Cooks caught three passes for 35 yards, including an 18-yard catch.
Tight ends (4)
Evan Engram
Luke Farrell
Brenton Strange
Gerrit Prince
Out: Josh Pederson, Derek Parish
Analysis: The Jaguars' tight ends room isn't too competitive on the back end. Still, the Jaguars boast a strong group led by Engram, who is expected to continue as the team's top tight end. Strange, the team's second-round pick has had a strong camp as has 2022 undrafted free agent, Prince. Farrell returns as one of the team's top blockers.
While Pederson made some plays during camp, it wasn't enough to cut the list after the top-tier competition. Parish, the team's seventh-round rookie, might end up converting back to the defensive side of the football for either Jacksonville or another team on their practice squad.
Offensive line (9)
Walker Little
Tyler Shatley
Luke Fortner
Brandon Scherff
Anton Harrison
Josh Wells
Ben Bartch
Blake Hance
Chandler Brewer
Injured/suspended: Cam Robinson (suspended), Cooper Hodges (injury, knee)
Out: Samuel Jackson, Bobby Evans, Darryl Willams, Coy Cronk, Cole Van Lanen
Analysis: The Jaguars have many banged-up players on the offensive line, including Wells and Hodges who are expected to be out for an undetermined amount of time. Wells is likely to avoid the injured reserve list, but Pederson didn't rule out the possibility regarding Hodges. Robinson will be suspended for the first four games of the season due to a violation of the league's PED (Performance Enhancing Drugs) policy.
While Cronk and Van Lanen have looked impressive at times, the Jaguars simply can't keep everyone. This could be a circumstance where the Jaguars trade one or two of the offensive linemen prior to cut-down day or just afterward. The final 53-man roster could look much different when it's all said and done as a result.
Defense
Defensive linemen (5)
Roy Robertson-Harris
Foley Fatukasi
Jeremiah Ledbetter
Tyler Lacy
Adam Gotsis
Injured: DaVon Hamilton (non-football injury (NFI), back), Dawuane Smoot (PUP, Achilles)
Out: Michael Dogbe, Raymond Vohasek, De'Shaan Dixon
Analysis: Jacksonville will be without a couple of their expected key players on the defensive line in Smoot and Hamilton. Smoot is currently on the team's PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list and will be forced to miss the first four games as he makes his way back from a 2022 Achilles injury.
Hamilton is currently out with a non-football injury (NFI) medical issue with his back and is likely to land on the NFI list as a result. Vohasek, one of the team's seventh-round rookies, doesn't make the initial roster but is a prime candidate for one of the 16 practice-squad spots.
Edges (4)
Josh Allen
Travon Walker
K'Lavon Chaisson
Yasir Abdullah
Out: DJ Coleman, Willie Taylor III, Jordan Smith
Analysis: This was tough. None of the team's backup edge rushers really stood out throughout training camp. Both Abdullah and Smith tallied sacks, but Chaisson did not show enough defensively to stand out. Still, Jaguars special teams coordinator Heath Farwell thinks highly of the former first-round pick and that'll be another reason why he likely makes the roster.
"He's right there where he needs to be and like I said, he's a four-core guy that we rely on a ton. I know he rushes the passer for them as well, but he's been great for us. He's a four-core stud that we rely on a ton," Farwell said last week when asked about Chaisson.
Chaisson is also owed a guaranteed $2,429,719 in base salary this year and there is no savings if he were to be released. While Smith has looked solid during the preseason, it is unlikely the Jaguars will carry more than four edge players.
Linebackers (5)
Devin Lloyd
Foye Oluokun
Chad Muma
Caleb Johnson
Ventrell Miller
Out: Shaquille Quarterman, Dequan Jackson
Analysis: Another tough position to break down, the Jaguars could place Miller on the team's reserve/injured list, essentially redshirting the rookie out of Florida. Still, it appears likely that Jacksonville will move on from LB Shaquille Quarterman sooner rather than later. Whether or not he makes the team over Johnson or Miller remains the question.
Johnson is a standout on special teams and was mentioned by Farwell unprompted, however, that doesn't necessarily mean he will make the roster. He does in our final projection, however.
Cornerbacks (6)
Tyson Campbell
Darious Williams
Tre Herndon
Gregory Junior
Christian Braswell
Chris Claybrooks
Out: Erick Hallett II, Tevaughn Campbell, Montaric Brown, Kaleb Hayes, Divaad Wilson
Analysis: Campbell was on the team last year, but didn't make the cut this season. While Campbell offers plenty of experience, the Jaguars drafted two corners (Braswell and Hallett) and adding Braswell to the 53-man roster pushes Campbell to the wayside.
Claybrooks is still dealing with a legal issue that could impact his standing at some point, but if Jacksonville was going to release him due to it, there likely would have been a move made already.
Hallett, the team's other sixth-round pick, is an interesting project, but primarily played with the team's safeties during camp and the preseason. He also had some work at nickel during the preseason, but sparingly.
Safties (5)
Rayshawn Jenkins
Andre Cisco
Andrew Wingard
Antonio Johnson
Daniel Thomas
Out: Latavious Brini, Ayo Oyelola
Analysis: The Jaguars' safety group is one of the deepest on the roster with starters Jenkins and Cisco leading the pack. Wingard, a standout special teams player and valued veteran, will retain his role as the third safety with Johnson and Thomas likely rounding out the group.
With Johnson's injury, it's possible the Jaguars opt to retain five safeties as opposed to the standard four. That leaves the team thin at another position, potentially edge rusher as that group could be upgraded after cuts are made.
Specialist (3)
Logan Cooke (punter)
Brandon McManus (placekicker)
Ross Matiscik (long snapper)
Out: James McCourt, Tucker Addington
Analysis: There isn't much to say for the specialists as none of them did anything this summer to indicate they'd be replaced. There is a bit of concern for Matiscik's right shoulder, but Pederson did not appear too concerned about the longevity of the injury.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 2023 Jacksonville Jaguars final 53-man roster projection