The common season is formally right here, with the Jacksonville Jaguars opening the Miller Electrical Middle observe fields for his or her first observe of the 2025 common season. Listed here are our key takeaways from Monday’s Labor Day observe, Head Coach Liam Coen’s post-practice media availability, and a few extra updates from the Carolina Panthers.
Jacksonville Staff Captains Introduced
Head Coach Liam Coen kicked off Monday’s post-practice media availability with the announcement of the 2025 Jacksonville Jaguars everlasting crew captains.
- QB Trevor Lawrence
- C Robert Hainsey
- DE Josh Hines -Allen
- LB Foye Oluokun
- CB Jourdan Lewis
- P Logan Cooke
- The seventh recreation day captain spot might be a rotating week-by-week position
Hainsey and Lewis being named as captains is notable, with each being new, free-agent additions to the roster. The remaining 4 captains have all been with the crew for a number of seasons. Coen additionally confirmed that the captain settlement was reached through crew vote:
“Yeah, we did a crew vote earlier than we left for the mini-break there and the great factor is you didn’t need to fudge it to get form of what you wished. It was fairly clear. Fairly clear primarily based on the votes and the ballots that these have been the six guys that acquired essentially the most. There was a ton of fellows that you might’ve bumped up doubtlessly, you simply don’t have sufficient spots, you solely have six of them, however it was cool to acknowledge the quantity of people who did obtain votes all through the crew. That was good to see, particularly a few of the guys that won’t have ever been voted for prior to now that did obtain some votes. It form of reveals that these guys are making an influence. It wasn’t onerous to get to the six guys.”
Accidents Hit Carolina Laborious
Whereas Coen didn’t instantly present an replace on the harm entrance for Jacksonville, neither CB Montaric Brown nor OL Wyatt Milum participated in Monday’s observe, with Brown understanding on the sidelines. Cole Van Lanen was once more a full participant after returning to observe final Thursday. Nevertheless, the Panthers haven’t been as lucky as Carolina traded veteran WR Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings final week, solely to then days later place WR Jalen Corker on IR with a quad harm. The commerce and subsequent harm opens the door for important snaps for rookie Tetairoa McMillan, second-year WR Xavier Legette, and lately re-signed veteran WR Hunter Renfrow. Coach Coen touched on the Panthers’ large receiver room’s latest shakeup:
“I believe T-Mac being a rookie, we all know we appreciated him popping out of the draft, we all know what a few of these traits are that he can do with a few of the one-on-one alternatives as effectively. After which Legette can actually run. Huge, bodily receiver. Hunter Renfrow has gained within the slot right here for years. What does that seem like? I believe they’ll in all probability stay inside what they do. I don’t know if it’ll drastically change how they function. Perhaps we’ll see slightly bit extra 12, 13 [personnel], only for depth causes alone, for certain. So, I don’t assume it’ll drastically change issues for us, however Coker is an efficient participant. He did loads for them by way of the run recreation, blocking, but additionally, he has some wiggle and may run. Coker and Hunter are completely different gamers. I believe that’s in all probability the place you’ll see slightly little bit of a distinct utilization out of these gamers that may and may have an effect on how we play slightly bit, however I’m unsure it’ll have an enormous, drastic concern on the gameplan.”
Shedding a number of cross catchers in lower than 5 days this near the beginning of the common season is often an enormous loss. Nevertheless, that’s not the tip of the harm record for Carolina. Left deal with Ikem Ekwinu additionally had an appendectomy final week. His therapeutic standing is at the moment up within the air, per Panthers’ Head Coach Dave Canales:
“He had appendicitis. He wasn’t feeling good, after which in the end went to the hospital they usually stated, ‘We’ve acquired to do surgical procedure right here. Now we have to take away this.’ So he had his appendix eliminated. He’s day-to-day. We’ve seen these items flip round in slightly over every week — they are often longer. It simply will depend on every particular person physique, the way you reply to the surgical procedure, how your physique heals the precise approach.”
Canales suggested that the crew will think about Ekwonu as “day-to-day” as much as gameday. “That’s one thing that we’re gonna need to hold our eye on as we go,” Canales said. If Ekwonu is unable to go, Yosh Nijman can be the doubtless candidate to fill in at left deal with. Nijman, has 25 profession begins, with three coming in 2024.
A Historical past with Carolina
Jacksonville might be opening the 2025 common season with considerably of a international opponent, as Jacksonville has solely confronted Carolina eight instances, with the collection tied 4 to 4. Nevertheless, Coen confronted the in-division Panthers twice whereas with the 2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which he mentioned:
“We undoubtedly return and look (on the Panthers’ protection) as a result of I don’t assume the general construction will change. I do imagine that we’ll see some unscouted appears for certain whether or not it’s a personnel grouping or whether or not it’s a blitz or protection or one thing alongside these traces. I don’t assume they in all probability altered their total construction, so yeah, you undoubtedly return and take a look at what was profitable twice final yr taking part in these guys. What matches, what we’ve accomplished effectively up up to now and we are able to form of use these schemes or ideas to our benefit, however they’ve undoubtedly added some gamers through pro-free company and the draft as effectively. So, you’re simply curious to see perhaps how they’re going to make the most of these gamers, if that impacts and results their defensive construction in any respect.”
Coen’s Buccaneers went 2 and 0 versus the 2024 Panthers, successful every week 13 26-23 additional time thriller of their first matchup earlier than a 48-14 week 17 Tampa Bay demolition over the then three-win Panthers. Whereas Coen could possibly glean a number of gadgets from Carolina’s 2024 recreation movie, Coen additionally believed Carolina would try to do the identical in reviewing the prior yr’s matchups with the Bucs.
“I might assume that they in all probability have an thought of watching the Tampa stuff that it’s in all probability not going to go too far off of that. It’s simply extra, okay, what personnel groupings are we going to main in, particularly early on within the season in recreation one. What that appears like for us. After which the personnel is clearly slightly bit completely different. I believe that each groups are in a position to go and take a look at a few of the stuff from final yr and have the ability to use that, both to the benefit or man that is one thing that we didn’t do effectively that they took benefit of that we have to enhance upon in order that it doesn’t occur once more.”
Undecided on if Hunter will begin
Rookie WR/CB Travis Hunter, within the early parts of coaching camp, participated on each side of the ball religiously, earlier than lacking he closing two preseason video games and was restricted in a number of practices after sustaining an upper-body harm on August 14th. Whereas Coen beforehand suggested that the crew was treating the harm cautiously and didn’t need to danger Hunter additional aggravating the problem, basic supervisor James Gladstone confirmed on Wednesday that Hunter was full go on the Miller Electrical Fields. So, whereas we all know that Hunter will play and can doubtless not be medically restricted, the crew continues to be working via the small print to substantiate if the Heisman Trophy winner will begin on each side of the ball.
“We’re nonetheless working via it proper now. He clearly missed loads of time there that may influence taking part in anyone, nonetheless a rookie that misses fairly a little bit of time so what that utilization appears like we’re nonetheless working via.”
The matchup between Hunter and McMillan will certainly be one to look at.
For these , the complete media availability could be watched right here.