May 25, 2026, 2:44 p.m. ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars will begin Organized Team Activities (OTAs) this week. During OTAs, no contact is permitted, but competitive team periods are allowed.

That gives analysts and fans alike the first true glimpse into what can be expected from this year’s roster. While there are plenty of battles taking place on both offense and defense, there will also be opportunities for a number of players to make a statement.

These five players, in particular, have the most to prove in the coming weeks.

5. Brian Thomas Jr

One of the biggest question marks heading into the 2026 season is what will happen with Thomas. After an incredibly strong rookie season, Thomas saw a major regression in 2025, which led to non-stop trade rumors in the offseason. Liam Coen and James Gladstone have both repeatedly tried to shut those rumors down, but they have persisted nonetheless.

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To be fair to Thomas, his sophomore season wasn’t abysmal. He ended the year with 728 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 15 games, which is mostly a disappointment compared to his rookie year, in which he had nearly 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. That means there is a lot of pressure on him to have a resurgence, and OTAs are his first opportunity to give an indication of what fans might expect from him in this upcoming season.

4. Ventrell Miller

Miller has found himself catapulted from relative obscurity to the presumed replacement for Devin Lloyd. He largely filled a backup role behind Lloyd, which is not much of a surprise; Lloyd is one of the best linebackers in the NFL.

As a presumed starter at this time, it’s believed that Miller could have a breakout season in 2026. He certainly has potential, but there is a lot of pressure on his shoulders, too. Can he fill Lloyd’s shoes and be an adequate replacement? He’s been effective in the past, but Lloyd was elite. OTAs will be his first opportunity to show what he’s capable of.

3. Chris Rodriguez

Along with Lloyd, Jacksonville lost star running back Travis Etienne in the offseason, and analysts have been criticizing the Jags ever since for not investing more heavily into the running back position in his absence. The only addition was Rodriguez, who filled a rotational role in Washington.

Of course, Rodriguez is better than analysts give him credit for. Coen specifically pointed to his strengths in rushing yards over expected and yards after contact as to why the Jaguars were interested. Rodriguez, like Miller, will have to prove he can shoulder a larger workload, and OTAs will give a glimpse into whether or not he’s up to the task.

2. Nate Boerkircher

The Jaguars didn’t have a first-round pick in this year’s draft, and so their first overall pick came in the second round. With it, they chose tight end Nate Boerkircher, another choice that was near-universally criticized. OTAs will give him the chance to silence all of that criticism.

Boerkircher already impressed during rookie minicamp, and continuing to make a good showing in the offseason will only further prove that Jacksonville made the right choice in selecting Boerkircher, who the team believes brings a well-rounded skill set to the position.

1. Trevor Lawrence

One question heading into 2026 will be whether Lawrence can replicate his 2025 performance. When Lawrence was drafted, he had been lauded as a generational talent in college, and unfortunately, that didn’t quite translate to the NFL early on. It’s not entirely his fault, either — he’s gone through numerous head coaches and changing schemes in just a few short years, which would make it difficult for any QB to thrive.

Fortunately for Jags fans, Coen was able to get the best out of Lawrence last year. He finally gave glimpses of elite-level play, and all eyes will be on him to see if he can do it again in 2026, and OTAs will be the first look at what version of T-Law fans can expect to get.