Jacksonville Jaguars' Projected Final 53-Man Roster, Pre-Training-Camp Edition

Evan ReierJul 13, 2015

Cuts haven't even begun, but the Jacksonville Jaguars' final roster is starting to take shape. After an extensive offseason that has seen additions, injuries and departures, the 2015 version of the Jaguars is almost to its final form.

And all signs point toward improvement over last season's roster, at least in terms of depth and overall talent. That doesn't always translate to results, but the Jaguars are not the overly young and shallow squad they've been the past two seasons.

Now, the Jaguars are better suited for competing in games for four quarters and all throughout the season. It seemed like they would get gassed at certain points last season, but with the current depth and talent, that doesn't seem as likely.

It's never easy to tell exactly what the final roster will be and how the players will perform, but at the very least, the Jaguars seem better than the 2014 version. That was the goal of this offseason, and there's no reason the team can't go into the 2015 season with momentum.

Quarterback

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The quarterback position might have two of the biggest locks on the roster, which is a definite positive, because unsure quarterback situations don't tend to end well. The Jaguars don't have to worry about that with Blake Bortles, Chad Henne and Stephen Morris.

Bortles is the definite starter, and the young signal-caller will look to improve on a rough 2014 rookie year. He has talent and the right mentality, but he just needs to cut down on interceptions (17 in 2014) and get on better terms with his receivers.

Behind Bortles, Henne is the backup, and for good reason. An established veteran, he will steady the waters when needed and help Bortles grow. Plus, there are much worse options than a veteran like Henne should Bortles get injured.

Running Back

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The running back position is a promising one for the Jaguars, and it sees a new starter in T.J. Yeldon. The rookie will be backed up by Denard Robinson, Toby Gerhart and Storm Johnson, who will all be fighting for rank in the pecking order.

Yeldon may be a rookie, but he's multidimensional and can do just about everything well. However, Robinson's speed and prowess on the outside should see him used a decent bit, and Gerhart's rough-and-tumble style of running should see him get carries in ground-and-pound situations.

Johnson makes the squad because of his versatility and youth (23), which will most likely cut out Bernard Pierce and Corey Grant. Grant doesn't do enough things well to earn a spot, but he could end up on the roster later in the year if he sticks around on the practice squad.

Wide Receivers

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The Jaguars wide receiver corps is as young as it's been in a long time, but what it lacks in experience, it makes up for in talent. Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, Allen Hurns, Ace Sanders, Rashad Greene and Tandon Doss will all contribute and show that they can handle the Jaguars' wide receiver needs on their own.

Robinson and Hurns will be the likely starters on the outside, and Greene should be a rookie starter in the slot. Sanders and Lee should see time on the outside and in the slot depending on injury and need.

Doss and Sanders are both here thanks to their contributions on special teams as well as offense. Doss also brings some experience to the roster, which will help the other five receivers hold their own mentally.

Tight Ends

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The Jaguars' biggest acquisition of the offseason was Julius Thomas, and he'll be sure to make an immediate impact in Jacksonville. He'll work with veteran Marcedes Lewis and backups Ben Koyack and Clay Harbor.

Thomas' 24 touchdowns in the past two seasons are encouraging, and if he can get on page with Bortles in the offense, he should continue that trend. Lewis will take on a support role, but don't be surprised to see him muscling off defenders and catching balls when needed.

There are two backups because of the prevalence of the tight end in new offensive coordinator Greg Olson's offense. Koyack will likely play more of a backup to Thomas, with Harbor backing up Lewis. It's unlikely that both will be on the field at the same time, but they should see decent amounts of playing time.

Tackles

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The Jaguars offensive line may be the most improved unit in terms of depth in 2015, and the first position to see an upgrade was at tackle with Jermey Parnell. Starting on the right with Austin Pasztor backing him up, Parnell will mirror Luke Joeckel and his backup Sam Young.

Parnell doesn't have a ton of starting experience, but his performance with the Dallas Cowboys last season is encouraging to his probable 2015 performance. Joeckel is entering his second starting season with the Jaguars, and they'll look for him to take a serious step forward.

Young will likely see little playing time, but Pasztor's switch to a flex guard as well as a tackle should see him be prevalent in games. He'll still see time at tackle when needed, but don't be surprised if Pasztor is pulling and blocking defenders on the inside.

Guards

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The Jaguars looked to improve their inside blocking for the 2015 season, and the depth is considerably better at guard because of it. Brandon Linder and Zane Beadles will start, but with rookie A.J. Cann, Tyler Shatley and Pasztor coming in situationally, the guard situation is much improved.

Linder will look to build off a great rookie season, and Beadles will hope that an offseason of work will help him find his 2012 Pro Bowl form. He'll be chased by Cann, whose extensive experience in college and overall ability will be good competition to push Beadles.

Shatley seems to be the odd man out here, and he's definitely at the bottom of the pecking order. However, he's serviceable and should come in for the occasional appearance. He will have to compete with Pasztor to make sure he gets that time.

Center

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The Jaguars added a much-needed center this offseason in Stefen Wisniewski, and his competition with sophomore Luke Bowanko should go down to the wire. Both are worthy starters, but the preseason will decide who wins the job.

Bowanko did a great job for a rookie, especially one who was drafted on the third day of the draft. However, he's not perfect, and Wisniewski's experience and familiarity with Olson's offense from his time in Oakland could put Bowanko on the bench.

Wisniewski is also a solid player, but it's his familiarity that really helps. He has snapped the ball for Olson's offense the past two years, and that could be vital to the offensive line's cohesion and overall success.

Defensive Tackle

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The defensive tackle group made play after play last season for the Jaguars, and the unit is eager to return and continue to cause havoc on the inside. Sen'Derrick Marks, Mike Bennett, Roy Miller and Abry Jones are essential to the Jaguars defense this season.

Marks and Bennett are the two 3-technique players, with Marks starting and rookie Bennett ready to back up and prove his worth. One might notice that Ziggy Hood isn't here, but his contribution wasn't worth his pay or the selection of a roster spot.

Marks will be paired with nose tackle starter Miller, who will be backed by Jones. Both are consistent performers and fit well in the Jaguars defense. These four players will look to push through on the inside, and last season's success should set a high bar for them in 2015.

Defensive End

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The Jaguars defensive ends are separated into the strong end and the more solitary, pass rush-focused "Leo" end. Chris Clemons, Andre Branch and Ryan Davis will make up the Leo spot, and Jared Odrick and Tyson Alualu will hold down the fort on the other end.

Clemons, Branch and Davis are all established pass-rushers. Davis seems the most promising long-term, and with Clemons at age 33, Davis could have a starting job by the end of the season. Branch is also in that competition, but he hasn't necessarily reached the status the Jaguars expected when they drafted him in 2012.

Odrick was a big signing in free agency this offseason, and the Jaguars will hope his ability to excel in both run and pass defense will make for a big 2015 season. He'll be backed up by Alualu, whose good play toward the end of last season will help him see more time this year.

Outside Linebackers

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The Jaguars' linebacker group looks much stronger as a whole with the addition of Dan Skuta, but the top linebacker next year could be weak-side starter Telvin Smith. Skuta and Smith will be backed up LaRoy Reynolds and John Lotulelei, respectively.

Skuta is coming off extended success with the San Francisco 49ers, but he's now finding himself as a starter and with a good bit of hype. While Reynolds is a sufficient backup, Skuta will need to be at the top of his game in 2015.

Smith's electric, speedy play will be backed by Lotulelei, who hasn't seen a lot of playing time but doesn't seem out of place as a backup. Like Skuta, the Jaguars will depend on Smith, and his passion on and off the field will likely have him ready for a big role in 2015.

Inside Linebacker

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Paul Posluszny has manned the middle linebacker position for the past few years, and he's quickly become one of the most important players on the Jaguars defense. He's backed up by Jeremiah George, who'll look to break onto the field as Poz gets older.

Despite Poz getting into his 30s, he's still able to be on the field more often than not for the Jaguars. He's consistent in his tackling and will be a guy the team can appreciate for the sole fact that he rarely makes mistakes.

George's best chance for playing time is if Posluszny suffers a freak injury, but other than that, George will have to show his worth in the few chances he'll get. It won't be easy, but the backup isn't at a dead end in 2015 if he performs when needed.

Corners

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The Jaguars secondary has been young and prone to mistakes, but the group as a whole has been growing and maturing. With new addition Davon House, the unit of Aaron Colvin, Demetrius McCray, Dwayne Gratz and Jeremy Harris should be in much better shape in 2015.

House and McCray should be the outside starters, with Colvin lining up in the nickel corner spot. The three should make for a consistent group of starters, and while they may not force a lot of turnovers, it's already apparent the corners are an upgrade over the 2014 version.

Gratz (25) and Harris (24) will back up the starting three, and while neither has done anything exceptional, they are also young. They'll both hope to show maturity and general improvement in 2015.

Safeties

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The safety unit has four decent options in 2015, and while none of them are stars, they are all serviceable and will be solid options this season. Johnathan Cyprien and Sergio Brown will start at strong safety and free safety, respectively, and will have Josh Evans and James Sample backing them up.

Brown and Sample will battle it out for the free safety spot, but Brown's experience and consistent play should ensure a starting job. The rookie Sample should see plenty of playing time, however, and learn the free safety position quickly this year.

Cyprien is looking to improve on his sophomore year, where he didn't take the step forward many expected the promising strong safety to take. Evans will look to back up when needed, which won't be often, and he should suffice.

Special Teams

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Now that the offense and defense are covered, it's time to get to special teams. At kicker, the Jaguars' all-time leading scorer Josh Scobee will continue to start in his 12th season in the NFL. At punter, Bryan Anger will look to continue consistent performances in his fourth year in the league.

Anger and Scobee are kind of like the stagehands of the team: they're important, but they do their job consistently enough that you tend to not even worry about them. The Jaguars are lucky to have a guy like Scobee, and with more depth, Anger should have better coverage to work with in 2015.

Returners should include Ace Sanders, Tandon Doss and Denard Robinson, all as potential kick and punt returners, although they will finalize their specialty in training camp.