Though the final scores of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ preseason games weren’t what they hoped, the team had plenty of positives to build on heading into the regular season. Head coach Doug Pederson commented on the team’s receiving corps on Saturday night following their loss to the Falcons and noted just how impressive the unit has played in their four preseason exhibitions.
“Some of these guys have really taken advantage of their situations and opportunities,” He told the media, “Some of the veteran players showed up in the first half today and it was really good to see some of these young guys really taking advantage of the extended playtime.”
Among the “young guys” Pederson was referencing is rookie receiver Tim Jones, who set the standard for Jacksonville over the past several weeks. His 103 yards against Atlanta was by far the highest mark set on his team, and as an undrafted rookie, Jones likely played his way onto the 53-man roster.
Other players like Laquon Treadwell and Laviska Shenault also helped their case to maintain their roles against the Falcons, though their performances paled in comparison to the rookie Jones, save for a touchdown by Treadwell. Starters Christian Kirk, Marvin Jones Jr., and Zay Jones were inactive for the matchup at Mercedes Benz Stadium, so the backups saw more snaps than would otherwise be normal so the coaching staff could get an extended look at the talent at their disposal.
With cuts on the horizon for this week, the Jaguars’ trio of Jones-es should compliment their fellow receivers as a capable group of sure-handed pass catchers who should serve Trevor Lawrence well in the regular season. It remains to be seen if this group will flourish into one of the NFL’s best this year, but the groundwork was certainly laid in the preseason for them to be better than average in 2022.