The New Orleans Saints will open the 2026 NFL preseason against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Caesars Superdome on Saturday. To break it down, Gus Logue of Big Cat Country joins us to preview this weekend’s matchup.
NJ: With this being the first look at live game action, what are you hoping to learn about the Jaguars that you can’t really learn from training camp practices?
GL: Head coach Liam Coen has been adamant about two things this offseason: that last year’s run game was the underlying “stink” of Jacksonville’s 8-0 run to cap the regular season, and that it is almost impossible to evaluate the run game without pads. The first day of padded practices at training camp was August 3, so the team hasn’t had many on-field opportunities to improve its rushing efficiency. They’ll also enter this weekend’s matchup with a banged-up O-line and a major question mark at running back. Can the Jaguars’ run game show signs of improvement this early in the football calendar?
NJ: Which Jacksonville position battle or group of players do you think has the most to gain from the extra preseason reps against New Orleans?
GL: On offense, tight end is a position to watch, as the Jaguars are hoping to get immediate contributions out of rookies Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol. The latter has actually looked more impressive in offseason practices despite being the later pick. Coen will continue to major in 3-WR sets, especially given the depth of the receiver room, but he’d like to be able to lean on 2-TE sets and activate Brenton Strange a little more in the pass game. As for defense, extra preseason reps will be valuable for pass rushers not named Hines-Allen or Walker to prove themselves as worthy depth options. B.J. Green II and Zach Durfee are two young EDGE defenders who have shown encouraging flashes over the past few weeks.
NJ: Travis Etienne Jr. left Jacksonville for New Orleans this offseason. How has the Jaguars’ running back room looked without him, and who has stood out as the player most likely to take on a bigger role?
GL: This might be the single biggest question for the Jaguars entering the 2026 season. The general expectation is that second-year speedster Bhayshul Tuten will absorb most of Etienne’s workload, free agent pickup Chris Rodriguez Jr. will serve as the between-the-tackles/short-yardage bruiser, and pass pro maestro LeQuint Allen Jr. will see a healthy amount of 3rd down snaps. The backfield may have lost some star power when Etienne left but it is at the very least well-rounded. My personal take is that Rodriguez, who played under Coen at Kentucky in 2021, will be the most trusted player in the backfield and thus earn the bulk of rushing opportunities. But the potential for Tuten to emerge as a star is certainly there.
NJ: Who is a Jaguars player you think Saints fans should keep an eye on during Saturday’s game—someone who could make a strong impression despite not receiving much national attention?
GL: In Coen’s own words, Jabbar Muhammad is one of the single most improved players on the team compared to this time last year. And we’ve seen it from the sidelines of the practice fields. The former Oregon Duck went undrafted partly due to his size (5’ 9”, 182 lbs), but he is a walking example of the saying, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Muhammad has been all over the ball this offseason, whether in 1-vs-1 drills, 11-vs-11 scrimmages, redzone and two-minute periods, you name it. A strong preseason outing would confirm my belief that he’ll carve out a role on defensive sub-packages by the end of the season.
NJ: According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Saints (-166) are currently 3.5-point favorites over the Jags (+140) in Sunday’s matchup; what is your final score prediction?
GL: It’s the first week of the preseason. I think we’re in for a sloppy, turnover-prone, watch-between-your-fingers type of ballgame. Jaguars rookie safety Jalen Huskey’s pick-six won’t be enough in the end; I’ll go Jaguars 13, Saints 17.
Thank you again to Gus Logue for joining us to preview this week’s matchup! You can check out the rest of his work here.
