JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser examines five storylines to watch for the Jaguars in their 2026 Preseason Week 3 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Friday

1.A whole lotta sittin' – again. Whether the Jaguars' starters/front-line players would play was a key pregame question entering Preseasons Week 1 and 2. There's little mystery this week, with Head Coach Liam Coen saying throughout the 2026 preseason they will not play Friday in Preseason Week 3. Veteran starters such quarterback Trevor Lawrence, defensive ends Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, tight end Brenton Strange, wide receiver Parker Washington – and many others – did not play against the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers in previous weeks, and don't figure to play Friday. This remains in keeping with a league-wide trend of many teams playing starters minimally – if at all – in preseason games and instead emphasizing joint practices to prepare for the regular season because those environments can yield controlled opportunities with minimized injury risk. Coen considered playing starters against the Panthers but was pleased enough with the Jaguars' performance in a joint practice that week that he opted against it. The Jaguars had another strong joint practice against the Buccaneers at the Miller Electric Center Tuesday.

2.A time for youth – again. The flipside of starters not playing in the preseason is ample opportunities for young players and reserves competing for roster spots – and for their NFL futures. All healthy rookies – including draft selections such as second-round tight end Nate Boerkircher and third-round guard Emmanuel Pregnon – have played in the preseason, with Pregnon working in at starting left guard much of the past week. The Jaguars have not announced specifics about playing status for Friday. But rookie free agents such as wide receiver Trebor Peña, rookie running back J'Mari Taylor and rookie defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. in recent weeks have played and practiced their way have played their way into being the subject important discussions this weekend. Friday could be a final in-game opportunity for such players.

3.Quarterback competition? This isn't about Lawrence, who doesn't figure to play Friday. And it's not about backup Nick Mullens, who may or may not play Friday. But whatever Mullens' snap count against the Buccaneers, a major storyline in this game figures to be Jaguars reserve quarterbacks Carter Bradley and Joey Aguilar. Bradley, who spent last season on the Jaguars' practice squad, has completed 16 of 30 passes for 156 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions in two 2026 preseason appearances. Aguilar, who signed with the Jaguars as a collegiate free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft, has completed 10 of 11 passes for one touchdown with no interceptions in two preseason appearances. The Jaguars kept two quarterbacks on the active roster last season – Lawrence and Mullens – meaning Friday could be a factor in which quarterback remains on the practice squad.

4.Late opportunity. Preseason 3 isn't always about youth, with veterans also trying to solidify practice squad or active-roster roles. Veterans such as defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro, running back DeeJay Dallas, tight ends Quintin Morris and Hunter Long, wide receiver Austin Trammell and cornerback Christian Braswell have played in each of the first two preseason games. They all have extensive NFL experience and all have stood out at various points during 2026 Training Camp.

5.Here, there or somewhere. The reality of the NFL preseason is not all players in camp will be with the team in Week 1 – and with the Jaguars having a deep and talented roster, that means multiple young players are playing for a chance to earn opportunities on other rosters and practice squads. That reality gets a lot realer in Preseason Week 3, something that will be on the minds of young players on Friday – and veterans, too. "I'm just looking forward to the guys coming out playing free, physical, whooping the man in front of them, and just taking the thinking out of the game and going out there and playing," Walker said. "We know everybody's not going to make this roster, but I want the guys, a lot of the younger guys, to go out there and put some great things on tape because it's 31 other teams out there that they're interviewing for, and I wish all of them the best."