Jaguars 2022 NFL Combine Media Availability

JAGUARS GENERAL MANAGER TRENT BAALKE 

COMBINE AVAILABILITY 

MARCH 1, 2022 

(On why the team decided not to hire an EVP) “I think Shad [Khan] answered that with his statement. I  think that was something that we were looking into and like I said at the press conference, I’m all for  anything that is going to help this organization move forward. We have been stuck in neutral for a while.  We are going to continue to address those levels of leadership, but I think we are very comfortable. I  really appreciate Shad stepping up and having the confidence in Doug [Pederson] and myself that he has  shown.” 

(On what his responsibilities are without an EVP) “The same responsibilities. Nothing has changed. Doug  and I are going to lead the team forward. I feel very confident we can do that.” 

(On adding an edge rusher in this draft) “I think anytime you can add a pressure player to your team on  the defensive side … If you look at my track record in San Francisco with what we did there relative to  the edge pressure, that is a positive. This draft happens to be a good draft. There is going to be depth  into the second and even the third round in terms of acquiring those types of players.” 

(On what he remembers from his time in San Francisco) “Great memories. It is great organization, great  leadership from ownership on down. I can’t say enough good things about Jed and John and the York  family. My time there was well spent. We accomplished a lot. We had some failures. That is a part of this  business. You ride that wave and sometimes you are at the top of it and sometimes you are at the  bottom of it. I have nothing but respect for that organization and the people that own it.” 

(On what he learned from his time with the 49ers) “I think any time you go through what we went  through in San Francisco, you get better. You learn from the successes and you learn from the mistakes  that you make. Certainly, we made a few of them. I made my share. You hope to learn from them and  not repeat them.” 

(On what the staff is working on and if the team is going after a tight end to fit Head Coach Doug  Pederson’s offense) “The staff just got in. We just got through the initial end of season reports that  typically are done about 30 days earlier than this. They are evaluating the team. We have had initial  discussions relative to that. The tight end position is a focal point. It always is. It has been with Doug’s  offense as you mentioned. It is going to be a position that we certainly look to address, but we feel very  good about the room that we have there currently right now. A young guy that we drafted in Luke  Farrell out of Ohio State, we picked up Dan Arnold last year in a trade and obviously with Chris  Manhertz, we feel very good about that room. Will we add to it? There is a chance we do.” 

(On what he has learned about Doug Pederson) “I learned he likes to hunt and fish and so do I. That is a  positive. He is just really engaging. He is very collaborative, very easy to talk to, very easy to communicate with. All of that has been positive. The good thing is we don’t just talk about football. We 

talk about life. We went golfing the other day with our wives and had a great time on the golf course.  That is something we have to do more often. The collaboration of what we are doing is very good right  now.” 

(On Coach Pederson’s collaboration with the general manager in Philadelphia) “I can’t speak to what he  did in Philadelphia relative to the collaboration with the general manager. We really have not discussed  that. With both of us, we have been through a lot professionally – both of us have. You get in an  opportunity like this to take over a franchise like this and move it forward … [A franchise] that has been  stuck in neutral, that is what we are trying to do [move it forward]. It is going to be a very collaborative  effort. It has been that way since day one and it is going to continue to be that way.” 

(On if the team plans to move on from WR Laviska Shenault Jr.) “Not at all – I don’t know where that  would come from. We are very high on Laviska. He does a lot of good things. He is an interesting …  Obviously at his size and his speed and the things that he can do, we have to find ways to get him the  ball. That is not my job – that is Coach [Pederson’s] job. That would be a great question for [Coach  Pederson], but by no means has the ship sailed on Laviska.” 

(On if he feels the team is playing catch up on free agency and the draft because the coaching search  took a little bit of time) “No. The preparation for free agency and the preparation from the draft from a  personnel perspective, we aren’t behind. It is getting the coaches up to speed with where we are at and  they are working tirelessly to get there. We are a little bit behind in terms of where we would normally  have the process done from a coaches standpoint, but not from a personnel standpoint. I think we are in  really good shape.” 

(On what he sees from RB Travis Etienne Jr.) “Currently right now with Travis, he was on the grass for a  little bit in the offseason program and then he got hurt. His development in terms of where he is at  physically right now – he’s ahead of schedule. He looks really good. He took the year to really transform  his body and learn how to be a pro in his development. We are really excited to get him back on the  grass and he is a little bit ahead of schedule right now.” 

(On the value of being in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine) “Well you get to see them and talk to them  and feel them in person. The Zoom meetings – and just like these [interview] meetings – the Zoom  meetings that we have with players or reporters or anybody else that you engage with just isn’t the  same as being here when you get to touch and feel and talk to someone directly. I think it is a huge  benefit to be here.” 

(On making trades this offseason and how the process may be changed by splitting the dead salary cap  costs) “I don’t know. That’s a really good question, I would have to sit and think about it. That’s not  something that off the top of my head I can comment on right now.” 

(On expecting more trades this offseason) “I think that there could be. I’d hate to say that I definitely  have an answer because I haven’t thought about it. It’s a good question.” 

(On his willingness to trade the first pick) “You are always open for business. Now, whether we’re going  to be able to move it or not [we don’t know], but we’re very comfortable taking the pick as well. You  have to be prepared for anything in this league so to say we won’t shop it is probably not 100 percent  correct, but to say we will is not [100 percent correct] either. We’re going to see what comes and if  something comes our way and makes sense to us, we’ll make that decision at that time.”

(On the importance of protecting the quarterback) “Well I think you’re always trying to protect an asset  and obviously the quarterback is a huge asset to any organization. Anything you can do schematically  and physically within player selection to protect him is advantageous to you.” 

(On how to balance adding someone on the offensive line versus adding a defensive player) “You have  to take the player that you think is the best fit for the organization as a whole and makes the biggest  difference. If that’s the offensive tackle position, you do it. If it’s edge rusher, you do it. I’ve always been  a big believer in go big or go home. This draft has a lot of unique players in it. There may not be that  clear number one but there’s a lot of very good football players at the top of this draft that we’re  obviously going to be in position number one (and) have our pick of those players.” 

(On there being a premium on the quarterback position in his time in the league) “I think when you look  at the Super Bowls and who has won them, it’s pretty obvious what it takes to get there and accomplish  that mission. The quarterback position is a key position. The key position on any football team, but it  takes a lot of other good football players. When we got to the Super Bowl game in 2012 [with San  Francisco], we had a roster that I had a lot of good football players on it. Your mission in the position I’m  in is to get as many of those guys as you can get to supplement that quarterback position. We feel really  good about Trevor [Lawrence] and where he’s at as a pro, where he’s at as a person. I feel very  confident that with him we can move forward and build a championship caliber football team.” 

(On if it matters if guys do not work out at the combine and just get their medical information) “Well I  think the medical is extremely important. If you go back to when the combine was created, that’s what  it was created for. It was created for them to get together and get the medical information from the  players. That became the workouts and the interviews and all the other stuff that comes with it. Five  years ago, I probably would’ve said if you don’t work out here it’s going to hurt you. I don’t know if I  have that same mentality as I did back then. I think you grow, you learn and you understand what these  young men go through. I do think it’s advantageous for them to work out. Whether they choose to work out here or work out at their pro day, I do think it’s advantageous. Because there’s going to be some  people in this business that do hold that against them if they don’t work out. You have to get the  numbers somehow.” 

(On the potential value of trading back in the top 10) “That’s a good question. The value is in the eye of  the beholder. If someone wants to move up to one, what are they willing to give up? I can’t answer that.  I know what historically it would take to move up from each position, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to  happen. That doesn’t mean that’s what the value is going to carry this year. That’s a hard to predict  number.” 

(On the strengths of this year’s draft class) “I think there’s a lot of strengths to this draft. I think you look  at the wide receiver position, you look at the offensive line position. I think you look at the rush position.  I think there’s some depth at the cornerback position. There’s a lot of good football players in this draft  and I think there’s going to be good football players to be gotten through every round. Some are going  to need more development than others obviously. As you look back at this draft three years from now, I  think it is going to be a pretty positive outcome for a lot of these young men.” 

(On what Head Coach Doug Pederson has already put his imprint on) “Doug is a natural leader. He really  is. He has a great [demeanor]. He comes in the building. He is positive every day. I always tell him that 

he is the optimist, I am the pessimist. I like to say I am a realist. What is a realist? It really is a pessimist  in hiding. It has been a good mix. He has a great personality. You like being around it every day.” 

(On drafting successful safeties with the 49ers and the process of drafting safeties) “First of all, I am  really happy for those guys. Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt, I think those guys have had really good  careers. They are great young men. That is probably what I look at and am the most fond of – the type  of men they turned out to be. That is a tough position to navigate in the draft. There are a lot of guys  that come into the NFL ranked lower that end up having great careers. It is just a really hard position to  gauge. I think this draft has some really good prospects in it at every level with that position, the safety  position. It is not a strong position of need for us, but if the right player is there at the right time, we are  always going to take the value of that player at that pick.” 

(On former Jaguars Assistant Defensive Line Coach Sterling Lucas) “I think Sterling Lucas is a rising star in  the business. I really do. I think he is a young man that connects well with the players. He works  tirelessly. He is a good family man, and I wish him nothing but the best at South Carolina.” 

(On how the team can help QB Trevor Lawrence improve) “Well we have to protect him better and we  have to get more explosive players around him – guys that can make explosive plays. It is tough in the  National Football League to move the ball 14 plays, 15 plays, 16 plays and score. It just doesn’t happen  

that often. You have to be able to throw a 7-yard dig and turn it into an 80-yard touchdown. You have to  have players that can do that. That is the mission this offseason in free agency and the draft – to get  more explosive players on both sides of the ball, guys that can change games. That is what you win and  lose football games with.”

JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERDSON 

COMBINE AVAILABILITY 

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022 

(On his time in Philadelphia) “Obviously a great five years. I got hired in Philly [Philadelphia] to bring a  city a championship and the organization and we were able to do that as a team. Obviously, I can take a  lot of lessons just from that season and really use them moving forward for me. Really take the positives  from that year and how we constructed a roster and put players together with free agents and trades  and draft picks and all that kind of stuff. Just the relationships too with the players and coaches and how  all that came together to win a championship are things that I can take moving forward with  Jacksonville.”  

(On offensive coordinator Press Taylor) 

“I don’t know much about that. I know this, I have been around Press now, the five years in Philly,  obviously he was retained with Chip Kelly’s staff. What I’ve seen in working with him is just his  intelligence, his insight, he’s a hard worker, he studies the game. Really a guy that I’ve had my eye on for  a long time to put in this role and put in this position. I have a lot of faith and confidence in him. Just  looking forward to working with him and putting it together around a young quarterback in Jacksonville  with Trevor [Lawrence] and the team moving forward.”  

(On the difficulty of evaluating QB Trevor Lawrence’s last season) “I take last year is last year and we’re  starting fresh, starting new, and we’re starting from the ground floor. That’s what I’m excited about and  that’s why just moving forward, big picture, that’s the great thing about taking over with having a young  

quarterback. Much like we did in Philly with Carson and how in his second year we saw the growth and  everything in him. Trevor is coming into that second year this year and looking forward to working with  him this spring. I think the sky is the limit. Obviously, we have some work to do. Nothing is perfect and  we’re looking forward to that.” 

(On if struggling early can be good for a young quarterback) “I think so. Just the short conversations that  Trevor [Lawrence] and I have had is the fact that he has an offseason now to relax. It’s hard on these  young kids that are coming straight from college into this whole sort of rat race with all the moving parts  through to training camp and a regular season, there’s no down time. Now, he finally has time to really  focus on what he did last year but at the same time kind of rest and heal and really put a good plan  together for how we want to attack this season.”  

(On what he learned in his year away from coaching) “I’ve always focused on my strengths. I surround  myself with great people to help me with my weaknesses. I think that’s how the give and take goes. I  know that I’m not perfect and have made mistakes in my career. At the same time, that’s why you hire  people like Press Taylor and you hire a Mike Caldwell and guys like that. Surround yourself with  [coaches] that can take my weaknesses and make them strengths. Last year, I went through a lot with  my family off the football field and it was a great time for me. Things work well. As you guys know  through my faith, I think it happened for a reason. It was a great time to be away, a great time to  recharge and looking forward to this next chapter.” 

(On things he wants to do differently) (jokingly) “Besides win another championship? You learn from  your mistakes. I think that obviously what we did there are things I can take into this new chapter and  new job. I’m motivated, I’m excited, I’m looking forward to working with a new team and really having a  new lease on life, especially as a head coach. I feel like I still have a lot to offer, a lot to give, a lot to  bring to Jacksonville. I can’t wait to get my hands on this team and start working with them.”  

(On his role in personnel decisions working with General Manager Trent Baalke) That’s one of the biggest things that has been reported or scrutinized surrounding Jacksonville. From the  day I walked in that door and really it goes back to the interview process, how collaborative we’ve been  and the questions we’ve been able to bounce off of each other. I want it to be that way, I want it to be  transparent, I want it to be open and honest. We’re not always going to agree and that’s part of this  process. At the same time, we can walk out the door and be united. That’s the most important thing.  We’re keeping the organization and the players first and that’s the biggest thing we have been able to  do. Building on that relationship each and every day.”  

(On using analytics) “I think you have to continue to use analytics. I think it’s going to be a part of our  game; it’s going to be around. For me, it’s about taking the usefulness of it and how can I apply that to  the team. How can I apply it in-game?” 

(On the Colts 2021 season and the criticism around Colts QB Carson Wentz) “With some of my life  circumstances I didn’t watch a ton of football. Quite honestly, I wanted to really unplug from it. It’s hard  to honestly speak to a lot of that because I really don’t know. I had a chance to visit the Colts in training  camp last year and talked with [Colts Quarterback] Carson [Wentz] and [Colts Head Coach] Frank [Reich]  and Press [Taylor] was there. Listen, I’ve always wanted the best for him and I think he can still win  games in this league and help. Be the quarterback that he can be and we know he can be. For me  personally, I needed to take the time away, so I didn’t really engage as much with a lot of the things that  were surrounding the Colts.” 

(On how the staff change effects QB Trevor Lawrence entering his second year) “The biggest thing with  Carson too is that I kept the staff together around him and you have continuity within the offense and  this is going to be a little different because we’re changing staff’s, personnel and scheme a little bit. I  think the fundamental part of the game is not going to change and how we developed Carson [Wentz]  from the ground up and that’s something we’re excited [about] with Mike McCoy being the  quarterbacks coach and obviously Press [Taylor] and what he’s bringing and Jim Bob Cooter on offense  and how we can really build Trevor from the ground up and get him to the type of quarterback that we  know he can be at and be successful with the team.” 

(On learning and taking things from former QB’s he played with) “I have shown some cut ups of Brett  [Favre] before when I was a quarterbacks coach and some of the things I’ve done. I think the game has  changed a little bit. Some of the things I take away from playing with those guys, there is still a level of  physicality and toughness. Mental and physical that I think you can apply those things with a guy like  Trevor [Lawrence].” 

(On what he has done the past three weeks to impress Jaguars Owner Shad Khan) “I think just coming in  and being me. The relationship that Trent and I have built and continue to build every single day. I think  it speaks volumes what our owner has said and he really has given the confidence to Trent [Baalke] and I  to really build this thing. Not to say we can’t continue to add value in the personnel department, we 

could still do that. At the same time, it shows the confidence he has and really me just being me from  day one and showing people there who I really am.” 

(On balancing coaching and being involved with personnel) “I am always going to be a coach. I am  always going to be a coach and that’s the part I love about the game. Being with the players and  coaching the game, but you also know to that you want to coach the players that you can hopefully  bring on to your football team and have input there. I definitely want to have input and I really feel like  with what Trent and I have built so far in less than a month is something that we can continue through  free agency and through the draft process and on through training camp as we construct this roster.” 

(On his level of involvement with building the roster and his thoughts on the group overall) “I think  we’re still early in the process as far as the draft goes. The biggest thing is really evaluating our own  roster and that’s kind of what we’ve come out of with the new staff is just evaluating our guys and  

seeing the level of talent that we have. I am excited about the team and the guys that we do have, but I  said earlier that it’s a work progress and we’re not where we want to be, but we have the resources to  make a difference with Jacksonville and really start chipping away at some of the negativity that has  surrounded this organization for many years. I really think we can make an impact and all of that is part  of the process that Trent and I are going through. Really with the coaches too, involving the coaches in  this process. Again, we’re the ones out there coaching the players. That’s what I like about the  relationship Trent, and I have. Hey, you’re out there coaching them so you should have input on who we  select.” 

(On negativity being a tangible thing and the need to address it) “Yes, it’s real. It’s a real thing. [Head]  Coach [Andy] Reid took over a Chiefs team that I think the year before won one or two games the year  before and there is negativity and there is a cloud and you have to try to lift that cloud and in  Jacksonville right now until we prove otherwise, that’s who we are. That’s why I am excited to really  begin to work with this group and bring another set of free agents and another round of draft picks and  having the resources that we have to begin to lighten that cloud a little bit.” 

(On if he thought he was going to get the job after a three-to-four-week lapse between interviews)  “Obviously, I was out of football last year so being the first one that they talked to was relatively  probably an easy way to start the interview process. When I looked around the opportunities that may  come up in the NFL, Jacksonville for me was an opportunity that I really embraced and was hoping that  we would get to where I am at today just because of the team, the youth of the team, having a young  quarterback. A quarterback that I liked coming out of Clemson and so for me that was the target. Really  beginning to ask those questions of Trent in the interview process and really it went 30 something plus  days before I interviewed again, but still there was always that anticipation and hope that it would come  true. I am just excited and really thankful to Mr.Khan for the opportunity and get a chance to work with  Trent and the team.”