The Jacksonville Jaguars had their first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints, and it was a clear example of the Cardiac Cats in action again. The first half was nothing short of dreadful, but the Jaguars managed to turn things around and eke out a win, in a game that came down to the very last second.
While there were no starters on the field tonight, there were still quite a few standout performances.
DE Bryan Thomas Jr.
The future in Jacksonville was not looking bright for Thomas going into Saturday's game, as he faced a crowded position group with BJ Green, Danny Striggow, Wesley William, and Zach Durfee all ahead of him on the depth chart. He needed a big game against the Saints, and he got one. Thomas got himself a sack, two quarterback hits, and a tackle for loss, all of which helped his stock rise.
RB J'Mari Taylor
Like Thomas, Taylor has to battle a crowded running back room to make the final roster, but he certainly stood out in a good way against the Saints. He was a huge part of Jacksonville's second-half turnaround, and ended the night with 22 carries for 78 yards. He was the workhorse for the offense, and not only ran for a touchdown, but got a two-point conversion for the Jaguars as well. Taylor was impressive in virtually every measure, even with pass protection.
WR Trebor Pena
Pena led the Jaguars in receiving yards, but arguably, it only took one catch for him to stand out. In the fourth quarter, he caught a 43-yard deep pass from quarterback Joey Aguilar, and that kind of explosive play is one he sorely needed. Jacksonville has one of the best wide receiver rooms in the NFL, and Pena isn't going to be one of the top six players on the depth chart. If he makes enough big preseason plays, though, he might be able to convince Jaguars staff to keep him as the seventh wideout or on the practice squad.
DT Ruke Orhorhoro
Orhorhoro had fallen behind Matt Dickerson on the depth chart, but he had a big game against New Orleans. He was disruptive throughout the entire game, stopped the run, and got himself a sack, too. Orhorhoro especially excelled in the pass rush, an area in which the Jaguars are looking to see improvement in 2026, and in this game, Orhorhoro certainly stood out as one of the better defenders on the field.
DE Wesley Williams
Williams hasn't grabbed as many headlines through training camp as BJ Green and Zach Durfee, but he flashed against the Saints. He contributed to the strip sack of Spencer Rattler that led to the first Jaguars score of the night, and kept the pressure up throughout the game, while also holding up well against the run.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 5 Jaguars who stood out in preseason opener vs. Saints