In the Jacksonville Jaguars preseason Week 1 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Jaguars won 26 to 13. With such a successful win, plenty of players stood out with their performance.
Jaguars Preseason Week 1: Four Winners
With the first preseason game wrapped up, there is plenty to take away from the Jaguars’ first performance since the 2023 season. Since the Jaguars won, let’s look at five players from the Jaguars who came out as winners from the Jaguars preseason week one matchup.
Winner: Brian Thomas Jr.
After a relatively quiet camp compared to other first-round receivers, Brian Thomas Jr. put together a nice day, even if it was on one play. On third-and-one from the Jaguars 19-yard line, backup quarterback C.J. Beathard took a deep shot to Thomas down the left sideline. 41 yards in the air later, and Thomas, with one hand, made an incredible grab in tight coverage.
A tough catch, made on an important down, in his first professional game, is a great way for the Jaguars career of Brian Thomas Jr. to start. While he only made the one catch, it’s an incredible confidence builder for the rookie and is something to build upon as the preseason continues.
Winner: Terrell Edmunds
The veteran safety, who has been traveling between teams the past few years, and is fighting for a role with recent free agent acquisition Adrian Amos and other defensive backs for a role on the Jaguars defense, stood out as one of the better players in the Jaguars preseason week one opener. The eye-catching statistic is his two forced fumbles, and his lesser-appreciated statistic is how he only allowed two completions his way for a combined six yards.
For his efforts, Edmunds was named PFF’s player of the game and earned the highest PFF grade on the Jaguars defense. The safety has been traveling around a lot in recent years, but with a performance, as he had in the first preseason game, Edmunds is putting together a strong case to make the final 53-man roster at the beginning of the season.
Winner: Parker Washington
One of the unsung heroes from the 2023 Jacksonville Jaguars season was wide receiver Parker Washington. He contributed to an offense that had begun to stagnate and was dealing with injuries and uncertainty. His contributions made for a great building block to start from in the NFL, and his path to success became clear. Not only is he a solid receiver to have as depth, but Washington is an incredible returner. With the NFL changing the kickoff rules, his job just became all the more clear.
He showcased that skillset early on in the Jaguars preseason week one opener against the Chiefs. The Chiefs had just driven down the field and kicked a field goal to take a three-point lead, but on the ensuing kickoff, Washington took all the momentum back for Jacksonville. An electric return, where he bobbed and weaved through nearly the entire kickoff defense, and brought the Jaguars into the red zone of the Chiefs, setting the Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence up at the Chiefs’ 20-yard line.
A massive swing in momentum, immediately followed by a Lawrence to Travis Etienne Jr. passing touchdown, led to a Jaguars lead that they never relinquished. As Lawrence called him, Washington provides a “spark” to the Jaguars as a team, and the new kickoff rules brought his abilities to the forefront. Washington set himself up to not only be a starter on special teams, but an integral part of the 2024 Jaguars season.
Winner: Cam Little
Lastly, but certainly not least, one of the biggest winners from the Jaguars preseason week one opener against the Chiefs is the kicker Cam Little. The sixth-round rookie kicker out of Arkansas made his pro debut in a way that has to be encouraging for Jaguars fans. He went 3/4 on field goals, with his one and only miss coming from 62 yards out at the end of the first half. Field goals of that length aren’t hit often, and Little has proven he has the leg to make one from that far out.
More importantly, the field goals he hit were important and helped the Jaguars defeat the Chiefs. Little’s first field goal came less than a minute into the second quarter, where from 40 yards out, Little nailed his first field goal as a Jaguar. With two minutes left in the third quarter, Little hit his second field goal, this time from 47 yards out. He ended his day with a 31-yard field goal, that ended the scoring and capped off a great first week of the preseason for Jacksonville. The rookie kicker made an instant impact, and Little built a strong foundation to build upon as the preseason progresses.
Honorable Mentions
As with most games, there were plenty of contributors who helped lead the Jaguars to their first win in 2024. Ventrell Miller had a solid game after missing the entire 2023 season. Yasir Abdullah made an impact by getting reps with the first team on defense while recording a sack. Esezi Otomewo had a very productive day, recording four pressures, two sacks, one quarterback hit, and one hurry. Christian Braswell also had a nice day, but his big highlight will have to wait as a fumble return touchdown was overturned by the officials. Chad Muma and Jarrian Jones also played well, and are two young players on defense that Jaguars fans should keep an eye out for during the following preseason games.
Switching over to the offensive side of the ball, Devin Duvernay, the former Baltimore Raven, made an impact with one reception for 35 yards a touchdown from C.J. Beathard. D’Ernest Johnson also made his mark with one receptions for 23 yards, along with five carries for 31 yards. Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne Jr. connected for the first touchdown of 2024 for the Jaguars, and Josiah Deguara led the team with 42 yards on three receptions. Mac Jones, the former New England Patriot, also had a couple of intriguing flashes during the game. The Patriots didn’t miss him though, as they won their first preseason game against the Panthers.
Overall, the Jaguars had a very well-balanced game, featuring great performances on offense, defense, and special teams. From veterans like Edmunds making impact plays, to rookies like Little and Thomas beginning to make their mark, it was a very successful and insightful first preseason game for the Jaguars. There’s plenty to still look forward to in the coming weeks, as the Jaguars begin to determine who makes the final 53-man roster heading into the 2024 season.
Main Image: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
