JACKSONVILLE — A pair of undrafted rookies stole the spotlight in a losing effort as quarterback Joey Aguilar completed nine of 10 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown in the second half of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 34-17 preseason loss to the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium.

Aguilar, who signed with the Jaguars as a collegiate free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft, capped his night with a 29-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass to fellow undrafted rookie wide receiver Trebor Peña — the second consecutive week the two connected on a big play after a 43-yard completion in Preseason Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints.

“It felt good,” Aguilar said. “I had a lot of mental errors I want to fix and clean up to operate better, but I felt like it was a good experience. It was a great time going out there. I appreciate the offensive line for finding that edge and grinding it out. Shoutout to those guys for coming out the second half and grinding and fighting to the end.”

Peña finished with four catches for 72 yards and the touchdown, building on his breakout performance a week earlier. Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen said the connection between the two rookies has been evident beyond game day.

“He just continues to make plays and to be in the right spot at the right time,” Coen said of Peña. “He and Joey have a natural connection from working together in a lot of these settings in practice.”

Peña offered a straightforward assessment of his approach: “Every week is big. You have to make the most out of your opportunities. Any time you step on the field it’s an opportunity to be your best.”

Before Aguilar took over in the second half, 10th-year veteran backup Nick Mullens turned in a cleaner outing than his Preseason Week 1 performance, completing six of seven passes for 65 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Mullens had completed three of seven for 33 yards with an interception against the Saints. He led a 71-yard field-goal drive late in the first quarter before exiting.

“He did some good things,” Coen said. “He was on time, in rhythm, getting the ball out. He did a nice job. I thought they protected well when Nick was in as well.”

Veteran running back Ameer Abdullah, a 12th-year pro who signed with Jacksonville in May after playing with the Indianapolis Colts last season, made the strongest case for a roster spot. Abdullah rushed for 45 yards on six carries and caught three passes for 37 yards, highlighted by a 23-yard run in the second quarter in which he made a spectacular cut to elude Panthers defensive back Chau Smith-Wade in open space.

“I really just did my job,” Abdullah said. “If I stay key on my fundamentals, I put myself in position to make a play. I feel like I’m a playmaker.”

Coen called Abdullah a “pro’s pro,” adding: “He definitely showed up tonight. It’s what we’ve all been seeing in a lot of ways in practice. He’s a guy who just does everything right. He’s one of the first guys in the building with Parker Washington. He takes care of himself, treats himself the right way in terms of his body and getting his mind right for practice every day.”

Abdullah’s opportunity could expand with running back LeQuint Allen Jr. out for the rest of training camp with a soft-tissue injury.

A pair of sixth-round picks from the 2026 draft also impressed. Wide receiver Josh Cameron caught two passes for 41 yards in the first half, including a 22-yard grab against veteran Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson and a 19-yard catch that set up a field goal. Fellow rookie receiver CJ Williams added four catches for 22 yards. Coen praised both players’ work habits: “They’re such pros in terms of their process already. In terms of showing up early, leaving late, doing more, doing extra, being locked into the details … then coming out in the lights and making plays. Those guys are earning trust for sure, and they’re going to continue earn more.”

Kicker Cam Little went three for three on field goals — from 43, 34 and 34 yards — accounting for the Jaguars’ first nine points. On defense, linebackers Ventrell Miller and Branson Combs both saw action for a second straight preseason game, with Combs recording a hit on Panthers quarterback Bryce Young on the game’s opening drive to force an incompletion.

“They are both going to play,” Coen said of Miller and Combs. “Both are very different players. They both have different skill sets. Whoever ends up being No. 1 on the depth chart is obviously semantics in a lot of ways.”

The Jaguars will close the preseason in Week 3 as roster cuts loom, with the league’s deadline to trim rosters to 53 players approaching — a decision point that will determine whether Aguilar, Peña, Abdullah and the club’s deep crop of rookies have done enough to earn a spot.