Big Cat Country
The 2026 Jacksonville Jaguars enter the summer in a curious position as one of the AFC’s most intriguing rosters, combining postseason aspirations with multiple unsettled starting position groups. And while most of the offseason attention in Duval has been directed at the wide receiver room and the direction of the offense under Liam Coen, it’s the competition in the trenches and elsewhere that will likely determine the final playoff standings for the 2026 Jaguars.
Here is a breakdown of the five most impactful position battles heading into 2026 Training Camp.
Battle: Bhayshul Tuten vs. Chris Rodriguez Jr.
The departure of Travis Etienne to New Orleans created the most significant backfield void Jacksonville has faced in years, and the competition to fill it has been anything but straightforward. Bhayshul Tuten enters camp firmly entrenched as the projected starter after taking over every meaningful offensive snap during the offseason program, with Chris Rodriguez’s Minicamp absence due to injury. In 2025, Tuten rushed for 307 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie in a part-time role.
The concerns are real, though. A 3.7 yards-per-carry average as a rookie, albeit on less than 90 carries, while paired with multiple injuries isn’t an ideal welcome to the NFL. For a back being asked to carry a 17-game workload for the first time, availability and starting off hot early will be key in taking over the role.
Meanwhile, Chris Rodriguez’s path to a starting role was made more complicated before camp began, when he underwent left foot surgery this summer. Head coach Liam Coen publicly indicated Rodriguez is expected to be a full participant next week when camp opens. Still, his absence throughout OTAs and minicamp only widened the organizational gap between him and Tuten. When healthy, however, Rodriguez brings a completely different element to this backfield: a physically punishing running style.
His 45.5 percent rushing success rate ranked among the top ten in the NFL in 2025, and a 4.0 yards-after-contact average spotlights his ability to create on contested runs. His near-total absence from the passing game, however, means Rodriguez’s real value to this offense is concentrated almost entirely in short-yardage situations and the goal line, exactly the kind of role that could quietly steal the touchdowns this backfield, while also leaving open a clear path for Tuten to run through. The continued health of Rodriguez’s foot when the pads go on, and his football conditioning, will be the defining questions of this competition.
Battle: RG Patrick Mekari vs. Wyatt Milum and Emmanuel Pregnon
The right guard battle is shaping up to be one of the most entertaining on the entire roster, if for no other reason than the gap between what this position has delivered and what the Jaguars believe it can become. Patrick Mekari arrived in 2025 on a three-year, $37.5 million contract and never found his footing in Jacksonville, following multiple injuries throughout the offseason and season. Following three games missed due to injury,...
