The Jacksonville Jaguars continued their offseason Organized Crew Actions (OTAs) on Thursday. Listed below are our takeaways from the apply subject and ensuing media availability.
Press convention takeaways
Head coach Liam Coen addressed media for the primary time for the reason that group added Dennis Gardeck, Dawuane Smoot, and Trenton Irwin by way of free company.
“Yeah, only a ton of respect for [Gardeck] competing in opposition to him two instances a yr in L.A. since 2018. Each time we might go play the Arizona Cardinals, he was on the game-wrecker board … whether or not it was initially for particular groups, after which additionally for speeding the passer and creating some disruption. It simply provides us any individual slightly bit totally different type of type rusher, particular groups demon. He was a captain in Arizona on particular groups. He had three sacks in a recreation final yr. Unsure how many individuals did that this previous season, however he did and had an interception within the following recreation. So that you’re simply persevering with to seek out guys that may disrupt the sport in a selected approach, whether or not it’s within the DPR or on particular groups.”
“[Smoot] clearly has roots on this space and has sturdy friendships with among the guys on the group. After which whenever you speak to guys that possibly haven’t been on this constructing, Eric Ciano, our energy coach, was with him in Buffalo and he simply stated he was a tireless employee within the weight room, on the apply subject, persistently going. You type of needed to pull him again at instances, and that was one thing that persevering with to get slightly little bit of veteran presence, guys which have performed significant reps on this league that may give us some significant snaps hopefully and proceed to create that competitors we’re searching for.”
“Simply the kind of person who [Irwin] is that we’ve heard from Zac [Taylor] and people guys in Cincinnati. Simply persevering with to develop the roster, actually. Thus far, he’s been a terrific man to type of get to know slightly bit, and he’ll proceed to be taught the offense as we go right here.”
Apart from a considerate response to a query on Trevor Lawrence posted beneath, Coen didn’t have a lot else to share. He admitted, “I can’t actually single any [rookie] out particularly that I feel that’s like, ‘Wow, oh my goodness, this has been wonderful,’” and he described his current first pitch on the Jumbo Shrimp recreation as “A change-up proper down the pipe. May need gone 400 over the left heart subject for any individual else, however I feel it was about what I used to be looking up.”
“If you have a look at possibly the primary few days of OTAs and actually even part two that we have been out right here on the grass, I feel his footwork has drastically improved. The rhythm of enjoying the place in each system is totally different, proper? The drop of a quarterback is similar to a dance and so every tune, proper, has a unique rhythm. Every play has a unique rhythm. Every methods have totally different rhythms. And persevering with to develop that for him in order that, we discuss footwork a lot as a result of when the sport is being performed, we all know it’s lived within the grey. However we’re making an attempt to create black and white strains for footwork, for reads, for timing, as a result of when the when the issues begin transferring, oftentimes it’s a must to revert again to your fundamentals, your footwork, your timing. And so, I feel he’s taken a step in that space in addition to simply the general operation. That’s what I’ve actually seemed for, for him on this time has been okay, actually specializing in his decrease half and his footwork after which additionally simply working the present. Like, I’m probably not judging does he make each single throw proper now. Is each single ball completely correct proper now? Is he working the offense at a excessive stage? Sure, he’s proper now.”
Large receiver Brian Thomas Jr. additionally spoke on the podium. Whereas he was his typical reserved self, he did specific surefire confidence about his progress getting into his second NFL season.
“I really feel approach higher this yr than I did final yr. Simply coming off a protracted rookie season, with the mix, draft, all that, simply with the ability to have some off time, maintain my physique and are available again and be able to go, I really feel approach higher this season, for positive.”
Thomas Jr. additionally mentioned his time spent with rookie vast receiver Travis Hunter.
“A enjoyable dude. Tremendous cool, tremendous chill—I’m not going to say that one [laughs]. Tremendous cool, tremendous enjoyable … We compete in all the things we do. We come out right here every day, popping out right here striving to be one of the best.”
“He’s been asking numerous questions. However that’s simply him making an attempt to be one of the best he could be. Simply speaking by way of routes, speaking by way of little issues, performs, why we run these sure performs versus these sure appears. So simply little issues like that. He needs to be one of the best. We each wish to be one of the best. We simply come out and compete every day and no matter he wants assist with, I’m glad to assist him.”
“That’s certainly one of my targets: to develop into a greater chief and be there for my teammates after they want me. That’s tremendous necessary for me.”
I discover it noteworthy that Thomas Jr. talked about free agent pickup Dyami Brown when he was requested in regards to the thought of enjoying alongside Hunter.
“I’m tremendous excited to have him and Dyami over there on the opposite aspect. They’re each going to play an enormous function within the offense. They’re each going to assist us out and push us to go the place we wish to go. I’m tremendous excited to have each these guys on the market with me.”
That quote, paired with the one beneath (from normal supervisor James Gladstone in March), suggests a big function for Brown in 2025.
“I feel it’s straightforward to have a look at Dyami’s profession path and trajectory and know that he’s ascending, proper? The best way that he closed out final season was nothing wanting spectacular and we search for him to hold that into actually his one-year contract with us. He took a guess on himself {that a} yr from now, given the chance that he sees right here with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he’s going to take one other step and earn an excellent bigger contract. What he supplies simply on a vertical aircraft and in run-after-catch eventualities is one thing that’s extraordinarily thrilling, extraordinarily alluring for our offensive workers and I feel that he’ll be capable of take one other step to increase his recreation. We’ll see him come to life in the identical ways in which he did in direction of the tip of the season with Washington this final season proper off the bat whereas additionally increasing his function to suit what we’re intending on doing this this coming season.”
On-field takeaways
Thomas Jr. and Brenton Unusual have been the playmakers of the day; each had large catches over the center of the sector and a number of journeys to the endzone (*Unusual’s second rating could have been out of bounds). BT seemed particularly easy and reminded everybody in attendance who the Jaguars’ high pass-catcher is as he gathered just a few large passes with no defenders close by. Montaric Brown had a tough morning in opposition to Thomas Jr. (although he did have a terrific deflection in opposition to Unusual to stop a landing) and Tyson Campbell had a robust pink zone deflection in opposition to Thomas Jr.
I solely noticed one Hunter reception — he suited up on offense in the present day — however it was cool to see him being the primary participant to run to the endzone and have fun together with his teammate anytime the offense scored. Seventh-round working again LeQuint Allen and undrafted free agent Eli Pancol are two rookies who proceed to face out for the way pure they give the impression of being enjoying alongside NFL veterans.
A good lesser-known identify who impressed at apply was Branson Combs, an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest. He transformed from vast receiver to linebacker just a few years in the past and it confirmed in the present day. He had a number of good performs in protection throughout 7-on-7 that have been pushed by fast processing and excessive effort.
De’Antre Prince intercepted Trevor Lawrence throughout 11-on-11 drills, and authentic group proprietor Wayne Weaver made an look. That’s all of the notes I actually have from what was a comparatively gradual apply on the Miller Electrical Heart because the Jaguars put together for subsequent week’s necessary minicamp.
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