Camp Snapshot, Day 14: Jaguars "Pivoting," Starters May Play Friday

Aug 17, 2026 at 03:30 PM

JACKSONVILLE – This week is about intense, meaningful work.

The Jaguars likely will play starters on Friday in 2026 Preseason Week 2 – and Head Coach Liam Coen on Monday said if that is a bit of an adjustment, the adjustment focuses on maximizing every preparation opportunity.

It is about doing what's necessary as the regular season draws nearer.

"We're trying to get some good work this week," Coen said Monday.

Coen spoke following a two-hour practice on Day 14 of Jaguars 2026 Training Camp practice at the Miller Electric Center – a session that began with pads and ended in helmets as the Jaguars navigated injuries at various positions.

It was also an intense, spirited practice – by design.

"Coaches got on us," second-year wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter said after working mostly on defense Monday. "We didn't play as hard as they thought we should have been playing. So, our motto today was, just go be aggressive. Do everything we're coaching you to do. Be rough, don't sugarcoat anything.

"Don't be buddy-buddy with the offense. Go out there and work. That's what we tried to do today."

The Jaguars will play the Carolina Panthers in Preseason Week 2 at EverBank Field Friday, with a joint practice with the Panthers scheduled Wednesday. Coen said after practice Monday he's "trending towards us potentially playing Friday night a little bit with the ones."

"That's the goal right now, is to look at potentially playing [starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence and other front-line players] a little Friday night," Coen said.

The Jaguars' starters and front-line players did not play in a 24-20 victory over the New Orleans Saints Saturday. They are expected to practice extensively against the Panthers Wednesday, with two more joint practices against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week.

"That's the goal right now is to look at potentially playing 'em a little Friday night."

Coach Coen on the starters suiting up against Carolina.

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— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 17, 2026

Coen said starters are not expected to play against the Buccaneers in the preseason finale August 28.

"You just look at the amount of padded days that we actually have left until the game week and it's very few and far between," Coen said. "You set a schedule, and you're like, 'Well, timing and circumstances, things change and then you have to pivot a little bit.' I think we need a little bit more work in terms of coming off of the Saints joint and the Saints game, I think we just need a little bit more padded work against each other, good on good. Can't really do it today.

"We had to pivot a little bit, so would like to maybe see these guys Friday night go out there and get a couple drives potentially, and that'll also help alleviate some of the depth, to get some of these guys some work, knowing that I'm not playing them in Week 3."

Coen said he ideally wanted Monday's practice to be full pads throughout but moved into lighter pads late because of depth issues at offensive line and linebacker.

"If we want to have a successful week, going full all day didn't sound 'sound,''' he said. "It was more so just because of where we're at. We got spiders tomorrow, and then we got full pads on Wednesday for the joint."

Added Coen, "It's a little frustrating that you have to pivot a little bit. The goal was to go full pads all day and get a good bang workday. It's a little annoying we couldn't do that, but that's the job. We have to kind of pivot and be flexible and not try to go grind them out today and then what do we get out of Wednesday?

"We're trying to get some good work this week, so I think some good things were able to happen today, but obviously not the full practice we wanted to have."