The Jacksonville Jaguars have started the second week of preseason with a few moves.
Jacksonville is sending linebacker Parker Hughes to the IR, effectively ending his season. There is no word yet on the seventh-round pick’s injury. They have also waived tight end Ethan Conner.
Jacksonville brought in former Clemson linebacker Baylon Spector. Drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, Spector has 55 total tackles (32 solo), two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery over four years with the Bills. With Terrell Bernard missing time in the 2024 season, Spector started four of the 11 games he played in, amassing 40 tackles (22 solo), 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
Jacksonville also brought in some help for their offensive line in Timothy McKay, an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina State who signed with the Washington Commanders last season. McKay can play both tackle and guard, making him a Jaguars offensive line searching for some stability.
What Can Timothy McKay bring to Jacksonville?
In a word: versatility. Timothy McKay has played all across the line of scrimmage from tackle to guard, to even taking snaps at center during the offseason with the Commanders last season.
McKay earned his pre-draft hype during the Shrine Bowl, showing off his ability to anchor against stronger defenders in pass-blocking and use his strength to fend off defenders in the run game.
McKay was a two-year starter at North Carolina State, at both right tackle and right guard. He ended the 2024 season with a team-high 18 Raleigh Railroads (an internal statistic for a sustained, continuous block for their offensive lineman) and was a three-time semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, an award for the best student-athlete in the country.
What Can Baylon Spector Bring to Jacksonville?
Spector is a former Clemson Tiger legacy whose brother, Brannon, played from 2021 to 2023, and sister, Blair, was a former cheerleader. Spector was drafted in the seventh round and bided his time on the back end of the Bills roster until he had a chance to make his mark when linebacker Terrel Bernard missed time in the 2024 season due to multiple nagging injuries.
Spector came in, mostly as a rotational piece, playing over 39% of the defensive snaps that season, and having a stellar game against the Miami Dolphins in week two of that season, leading to a career-high 10 tackles and a tackle for loss.
Spector has been injury-prone himself, leading the Bills not to pick up his RFA tender after the 2025 season. Spector is a good special teams contributor who will likely not make the 53-man roster, but will be a solid piece for the preseason with the loss of Hughes.
