Jaguars

Jaguars third-round G Emmanuel Pregnon was viewed as a nice value when Jacksonville was able to snare him later on Day 2 of the draft. Initially, it looked like his path to the field would be blocked, but after injuries hit Jacksonville’s offensive line this offseason, Pregnon is in line to play sooner rather than later. Jaguars HC Liam Coen thinks he’ll do well. 

“Emmanuel has done a nice job so far of fitting in with the group while being himself, and a lot of ways you can see that the guys are all starting to hang with them more, and have lunch together more, and just connecting,” Coen said via USA Today’s Cassandra Chesser. “And we liked him a lot coming out because of his play style. He’s a finisher. He finishes blocks down the field, he covers down. He cleans up the trash in the pocket. He instinctively did a lot of those things that we like and that we try to preach on a day-to-day basis. I think he’s a people mover in ways like you can’t teach, somewhat of the size and strength and ability to stay connected to people, whether it’s at the first or second level. So he’s been able to give us a little bit of that in terms of just hand strength, like he is a strong man. Being obviously a younger player that has a lot to learn and, will grow a ton throughout this season, but excited about maybe being able to run at him in ways too.”

Texans

Texans QB C.J. Stroud is entering a vital year in his career, as he’s extension-eligible but coming off some shaky years following immense promise in his rookie campaign. Stroud opened up about the added pressure going into the season, saying he’s used to the challenges and excited for it.

“Pressure is a privilege,” Stroud said, via ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime. “I’m excited. I’ve always been challenged in my career. I’ve always had to persevere through things, and I think this is something that I’m grateful for. I didn’t wake up and forget how to play football.”

Public criticism of Stroud has been loud on social media, but he’s been doing his best to focus on what he can control. Overall, Stroud is proud of the strides he’s made and is ready for the opportunity in 2026.

“People are quick to use Twitter,” Stroud said. “I focus on me. I can’t control [social media], so why would I care? Of course I’m human. I learned if some people had the opportunity to be me, they would. But a lot of people have opinions and don’t have opportunities.”

“So the more opinions people have, the more opportunity that I have to prove who I am. They love to critique. That’s part of life. I play in an entertainment sport, so they’re critical of a lot of people. I have the opportunity to go play. No one can stop that.”

“I’m proud of myself for how I’ve handled these past couple months. Yeah, I have things that I want back and mistakes that I made. But truly, God has worked through my shortcomings. If I was perfect, I wouldn’t be able to be coachable or have the fear of God. So I’m glad that I have made mistakes.”

Titans

• Per Spotrac, three Titans players were fined from the final preseason game, including S Jerrick Reed ($6,361) for a facemask.
• Linebackers Cedric Gray ($7,131 and Oluwafemi Oladejo ($10,625) were both fined for taunting and a facemask, respectively.