Three wide receivers may be introduced as starters Saturday night. Does that mean the Jaguars are going to a three-wide offense? No, it means three players are competing for two starting spots and coach Jack Del Rio isn't ready to announce a decision.
"We think those three guys are all playing well. We have not determined who's going to start against the Cowboys (on opening day)," Del Rio said.
The three players competing for the two wide receiver spots are Matt Jones, Ernest Wilford and Reggie Williams. Williams tossed his hat back into the ring last Saturday with a three-catch performance against Carolina. Jones currently has one catch for 50 yards and a touchdown in just one game of action, and Wilford has caught three passes for 41 yards.
"They continue to compete and they're all going to play," Del Rio said of the trio of wide receivers.
The starting defense was presented in pregame introductions last Saturday and it would be the offense's turn to be introduced this week.
Del Rio also told reporters at Wednesday's press conference that he wants to get playing time for third-string quarterback Quinn Gray in the first half of Saturday's game against Tampa. Byron Leftwich will be the Jaguars starting quarterback.
"We want to get extensive time for Byron with the first group. It's something I'd like to see happen if we can make it work," Del Rio said, referring to Gray playing in the first half. "It's not like you can't put a guy back in who's come out."
Eight players were ruled out of action for Saturday: Dan Connolly (finger), Brian Jones (knee), Marcedes Lewis (ankle), Mike Williams (back), Gerald Sensabaugh (ankle), Tony Williams (biceps), Elton Patterson (shoulder) and Marcus Stroud (heel).
Lewis is likely not to play again in this preseason. Del Rio said he'd like Lewis to begin practicing next week, "so we can prepare him for the season.
"The day he comes back, we'll re-start the process of developing him. It's going to take some time to get him back up to speed," Del Rio said.
Rosters must be cut to 75 players by next Tuesday, but that shouldn't pose a problem for the Jaguars, who have candidates to be placed on injured reserve next week.
Del Rio was questioned again about his first team offense's lack of production through the first two preseason games.
"I have a clear understanding of what my job is to prepare this football team for the regular season, and I'm not going to deviate because of what's on the website or on the talk shows," Del Rio said.
When asked if he'd take 0-4 in the preseason in exchange for a 4-0 start to the regular season, Del Rio said: "I'd take 0-4 and 1-0."
