Big Cat Country
The Jacksonville Jaguars head to the Big Easy this Sunday to take on the New Orleans Saints in their second game of the preseason. Here are three key matchups to look out for:
As it’s preseason, it’s very difficult to know who will be on the field and for how long. And as a result, predicting matchups is tricky. So let’s use these exhibition games to highlight some names flashing as they battle for a roster spot, and who they could potentially be up against.
One such name will be familiar to Jaguars fans. Kevin Austin began his NFL career in Jacksonville, signing as a UDFA after going undrafted out of Notre Dame in 2022. Despite obvious talent he could never quite crack the 53-man roster, and recently had a spell in the UFL with the Birmingham Stallions. Now back in the league with the Saints, he’s pushing hard in preseason to challenge a fairly weak wide receiver group; last weekend against the Chargers, Austin was a rare bright spot in a shoddy performance, reeling in four catches for 43 yards and generally looking lively. Another performance like that at the Superdome on Sunday, and he will be in the conversation as New Orleans’ WR5 or WR6.
Lo and behold, starting corner Tyson Campbell is dealing with an undisclosed injury; a familiar story for the Jags. He’s considered day-to-day by Liam Coen, and as such it would be surprising if we see him suit up on Sunday. That could offer Travis Hunter more opportunities on defense. The early signs suggest Hunter will be a mainstay as a receiver and sprinkled into the secondary in an effort to manage his snap count; no doubt Anthony Campanile will want a good look at him ahead of the real action to get a feel of what he can bring as a cornerback. The big bodied Austin represents a physical challenge for Hunter.
How much do we really learn from a preseason game? Saturday’s tilt against the Pittsburgh Steelers was a back and forth affair, but what was evident was the lack of pressure on Mason Rudolph. The Jags front seven only really got going once Rudolph left the field, and considering he’s the backup in Pittsburgh who was going up against plenty of starters in black & teal on the first drive, a pass rush improvement will be expected against the Saints.
I imagine we see a little more of Josh Hines-Allen on Sunday as the star edge defender looks to get up to speed ahead of the regular season. Usually aligned on the right, Hines-Allen will likely be facing a rookie; Kelvin Banks was selected ninth overall in this year’s NFL Draft after a stellar college career with the Texas Longhorns. No doubt Hines-Allen will be licking his chops and eager to welcome Banks to the pro game, but the Saints’ new blindside protector comes with a strong...
