The Jacksonville Jaguars closed out the preseason on a high note Friday night, turning in a dominant performance from their depth players in a convincing showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jacksonville’s defense controlled the game throughout, consistently making plays and giving the younger players an opportunity to make their case for roster spots. Several players made sure their performances would be difficult to overlook, with the defense and special teams taking the spotlight in the shutout performance featuring 5 sacks, a takeaway, no first downs surrendered after halftime, and Tampa going 2 of 12 on third down on the day.
Here’s everything you need to know from Jacksonville’s 2026 Week 2 preseason 19-0 victory over the Buccaneers.
Game Recap
With both the Jaguars and the Buccaneers sitting the majority of starters following a week of two joint practices, Friday’s matchup was about the depth players locking in roster spots. While QB Nick Mullens’ role on the roster was never truly in jeopardy, he played his two first-quarter drives like a man fighting for something. Following last week’s 6/7, 65-yard performance, Mullens’ day wrapped with a similar 5/7 for 62 yards and a 98.5 passer rating against Tampa. While both drives ended with no points, the offense showed multiple explosive plays and three total first downs prior to punting.
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One of those explosives came courtesy of Jacksonville’s stacked tight end room. Hunter Long completed his two longest receptions of the preseason on the opening two drives of the game. On the first, he rumbled down the right sideline on a 34-yard catch-and-run, then brought in a 13-yard catch in traffic before taking a hit that temporarily sent him to the medical tent in the first quarter.
On defense, second-year defensive end Jalen McLeod had a busy opening half with seven tackles, including a tackle for loss while in coverage, and a quarterback hit.
Meanwhile, undrafted free agent defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. heard his name called early and often in this one with a tackle (1-yard gain), a pass deflection, two sacks, and a quarterback hit that initially looked to be a Jalen Huskey fumble returned for a touchdown. However, replay later overturned the fumble, crediting BTJ only with the quarterback pressure and hit. It was a major performance by BTJ, in his final offseason opportunity to audition for the roster.
In the secondary, the roster battle between Jabbar Muhammad and Christian Braswell may be a photo finish. Both players ended Friday with similar days, as both had two tackles, with one being solo. However, Braswell added a first-half pass breakup that was nearly intercepted by Muhammad, while Muhammad made a splash on special teams with his solo tackle coming on the punt team. With the roster cut-down taking place on Sunday at 4:00 pm, this competition will be one to watch, with two deserving players potentially vying for one role.
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Biggest play(s) of the game:
Cam Little drilling a 61-yard kick turns what most consider a long attempt into an extra point.
Favorite highlight:
Anytime you can get a coach’s raw emotion, live and in the moment, it’s a great highlight.
Notable performances:
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QB Nick Mullens: 5/7 for 62-yards (8.9 avg), for a 98.5 passer rating
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TE Hunter Long: 2 receptions on 2 targets (23.5 avg), with a long of 34-yards
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WR Austin Trammel: 3 receptions on 5 targets (12.0 avg), with a long of 23-yards
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WR Michael Wortham: 4 punt returns with a 27.3 avg and a 63-yard return touchdown, plus 3 receptions for 47-yards (15.7 avg) on 4 targets
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LB Jalen McLeod: 7 tackles, 1 solo, 1 TFL, and 1 QB hit
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DE Bryan Thomas Jr: 5 tackles, 3 solo, 2.5 sacks, 2 TFL, 1 PBU, and 4 QB hits
View the full box score here
Game balls:
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Offense: QB Nick Mullens: 5/7 for 62-yards (8.9 avg), for a 98.5 passer rating
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Defense: Bryan Thomas Jr: 5 tackles, 3 solo, 2.5 sacks, 2 TFL, 1 PBU, and 4 QB hits
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Special Teams: WR Michael Wortham: 4 punt returns with a 27.3 avg and a 63-yard return touchdown
Live blog:
Catch up on all the big plays and best moments from Saturday’s game in our live blog!
What are your notables from Saturday’s game, Jaguars fans? Who surprised you most or disappointed you with their play? Let us know in the comments.
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