JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022
(On what he is looking to accomplish in rookie minicamp this weekend) “Obviously, we want to get out healthy, no injuries. We make a point of emphasis of that. We’re trying to really also see what these guys can do. We want to challenge them in the classroom and then obviously take it to the practice field and let them really kind of showcase their talent and let them play fast, protect each other out there, just learn how we do things here. [Those] are all things I’m looking for these next few days.”
(On developing QB Trevor Lawrence in his second year in the NFL) “It’s really sort of kind of taking what he did last year and sort of building on it and kind of almost like hitting the reset button just a little bit because this is the first time that we’ve had our chance to work with him and really begin to work on the details, the fundamentals, and how to be a professional and his study habits and all those things that come with being an NFL quarterback. The thing with Trevor that I really like is the fact that he played last year and so this is not his rookie season. But for us, as coaches, being the first time to get our hands on him and just putting him through maybe a different set of drills, something he hasn’t been used to in his past, and really developing his talent and allowing him to kind of showcase that on the field is what I was alluding to the other day. It’s teaching him exactly what we’re asking of him within our system and then letting him grow from there.”
(On QB Trevor Lawrence asking the right questions during his development this offseason) “100 percent, 100 percent. He’s so engaging right now. The communication is pretty incredible. The things that he sees on the football field and even from the standpoint of, ‘Hey, I like this play. This is what we did last year. I like this play. I like this concept, is there a way that we can incorporate this in our offense?’ That’s the
dialogue that’s going on right now and this is the time to, really, I think embrace that and get it into our system now.”
(On how a try-out player will earn a spot on the roster) “I think obviously we’re going to come away and when we start next Monday obviously, we’ll be a full squad at 90 and for someone to catch our eye… We’re always looking to develop our roster and to add talent and value to our roster and if someone catches our eye that way and you want to make a move, you make a move. It’s not out of the question for a try-out guy to do that only even if it is three days to do that and to go and give that guy an opportunity.”
(On what he looks for in a try-out player) “I think that’s all part of it, but really, I think how professional they might be in these next three days. Again, as you guys know, you’re always developing and turning over the bottom third of your roster now through training camp. Even during the regular season, you’re constantly moving guys and it would take something pretty special for that to happen at this point.”
(On RB [Trey] Jimmy Smith III, former Jaguars WR Jimmy Smith’s son, being invited to minicamp) “It is a little bit and obviously something that I’ve sort of adopted philosophically or whatever is former players or even staff members, coaches, I have a son that’s obviously an NFL player, and just the respect factor
of that. Obviously [former Jaguars WR] Jimmy [Smith] was a tremendous athlete and player and played here and his son’s a talented player as well, so it was a good fit obviously to do that and extend that to him and really to see him now in our system and see what he can do.”
(On if he considered letting RB Jimmy Smith III wear his dad’s No. 82) “Uh, no.”
(On OLB Travon Walker handling the pressure of being the number one overall pick) “I think he’ll handle it extremely well. That’s why we have [Director of Public Relations] Alex [Brooks] to coach him up. But quite honestly, it’s my job too to protect him a little bit from some of the outside influences that could affect him and then just allow him to focus on his job. We’re talking two different positions too. We’re talking the quarterback and sort of the [face of the] franchise of the organization versus an outside linebacker and the questioning and line of questioning is going to be a little bit different. But I think Travon [Walker] is a mature individual. He’s young, but he’ll be well coached up and that’s our job to do that.”
(On OLB Travon Walker handling the media) “How many defensive players, outside linebacker types really crave the media or how often are you going to run and talk to Josh Allen or [K’Lavon] Chaisson or Jordan Smith or some of these guys? Obviously, he’s the first overall pick and he’s going to bring some attention but it’s two different positions. He’s a quiet guy, by nature he’s quiet until you get to know him. I think the more you’re around him, he’ll open up a little bit more, but I think he’ll handle it well.
(On the 2022 schedule) “Obviously you look at it and I mentioned in my comments the other day, you try to look for those prime-time games. I know the history here and listen, we have to win in order to do that in the future, to be on a Sunday or Monday night. I get that and that’s a challenge for us to do, but we have the Thursday late [game]. We have London, so that’s obviously going to be an earlier time slot back in the states that people can watch and then of course the Hall of Fame Game. You look at those spots and where our team will be featured and showcased a little bit on national television. Then obviously, you always look at your first two, three openers there. Obviously, Washington to start and that’ll be exciting with [Commanders QB] Carson [Wentz] and everything. Going against them, Washington’s always a good football team. Even when I was with the Eagles, we always seemed to open up with Washington it seemed like to start the season. You look at those spots and then obviously where your bye is are things that I want to look at and how you can plan your season.”
(On if the team requested to not have a bye week after the London game) “We did. We did because London’s Week 8 and really the travel’s not too bad because we’re on the East Coast going to London. The travel back is not bad so we can really transition right into a home game after that and still play a couple of games before our bye.”
(On looking to see when the team was playing the Philadelphia Eagles) “Not really. I just honestly knew they were on the schedule, so it really didn’t matter when. I just knew we were going back up there.”
(On when he wanted to request the bye week) “You could have it after the London game, yes, if you wanted to. What I’m saying is we just didn’t want it like Week 9 necessarily. We want it a little bit later because of the 17-game schedule. The later you can have that bye is good.”
(On requesting a bye before the team is on the road again after the London game) “That doesn’t matter. Listen, Jacksonville’s gone over there many times, I’ve been over there twice, really the time coming
back is not too bad from a recovery standpoint. It’s just how you prepare yourself when you get back here, so it’s not an issue for the team once we get back.”
(On WR Kevin Austin) “He was always a guy, a talented player obviously as receiver, and [we’re] just excited really to have gotten him in here and to really go to work with him. Again, with all these young guys, we just want to see how much they can take from the classroom to the field to showcase their talent and really begin the competition process. Obviously, he’s a guy that can do that and provide obviously the depth that we need at receiver, especially when you’re going into training camp to have numbers there. But yeah, [we’re] excited to work with him.”
(On WR Kevin Austin missing a year of play in college) “We’re fine with everything. Obviously, that’s part of what we do and do the due diligence with our scouts and personnel, so yeah, we’re okay.”
(On waiving K Matthew Wright and the plans for the kicker position) “Obviously, [we’re] wishing him [K Matthew Wright] the best moving forward. You get into a spot where you don’t want too many kickers obviously in the room, but we have great competition there with Ryan [Santoso] and now [Andrew] Mevis, a guy we picked up here late. [We] just want to see consistency in what we’re asking that position to do. We know that we have to improve and get better there and that’s a big part of wins and losses and whether to kick off or three points or whatever it might be. This will be great for both guys now moving forward to create that competition.”
(On K Matthew Wright’s kickoff depth being a reason for his release) “I won’t get into all of the details of everything, but it’s definitely something that we look at and we look at everything. [We] just wish him [K Matthew Wright] the best moving forward.”
(On starting training camp earlier due to the Hall of Fame game) “We’re going to do it a few days earlier, I think around July 24. That’s the first day that we’ll have the guys here.”
(On a joint practice during training camp) “We are scheduled right now for Atlanta, which is our last preseason game for us. It’s our fourth, it’s their third. Our preseason schedule right now is set as far as opponents and times. I’m just waiting on Atlanta to get back to me on a time because they play the Monday night before our preseason game and then we’re supposed to have joint practices with, so [Falcons Head Coach] Coach [Arthur] Smith and I will just get together probably early next week and iron that out.”
(On the value of joint practices) “I think they’re really valuable to get some really good work in, especially with your starters and guys who you think are going to be starting on opening day. You’re going against another team at that point in training camp and allowing our team to get out of here for a few days and practice against a team that’s a well-coached, disciplined football team and it will be good for our guys to get some work in.”
(On veteran injury updates) “Travis [Etienne Jr.] is doing extremely well. He’s been in our offseason program and working every day and feeling good. Again, it’s a process and we’re going to continue to monitor that and keep it slow. James [Robinson] is progressing well. He’s obviously not doing the things physically now on the football field, but we’re hoping at some point during training camp that that becomes more of a reality for us and he’s doing extremely well. Jamal [Agnew] is, again, he’s another one in that same kind of boat with James. I think he’s probably a little bit more ahead right now, but again, we’re going to be real cautious with both those guys, really all three of those guys as we head into
the season. He’s [P Logan Cooke] fine. Yeah, he’s good. Rayshawn [Jenkins] is doing well. He’s out there right now in the offseason program. Right now, with phase two, we’re not competing against each other, we’re separate, so he’s been able to go through a lot of the drill work and really do well with that.”
(On being aggressive to acquire QB E.J. Perry) “We did and that’s fine. Again, the quarterback position, I’ve always sort of adopted the philosophy of if you can find a guy that can come in, whether he’s your third or your fourth guy, and add the competition, add the value, I keep bringing that up, but that’s what we do. When you can get a guy like him in here, we loved his tape. He was a guy that we even had [Quarterbacks Coach] Mike McCoy, [Assistant Quarterbacks Coach] Andrew Breiner, some of my assistant coaches talk to prior to the draft and had some meeting time with him and just get to know him a little bit. Then we were fortunate to get him and get him in here and get him going.”
(On getting back on the field after taking time away from the NFL) “I was out there yesterday. I go back to even our veteran camp we had a couple weeks ago. It was exciting for me to get back and be around the guys that way, in a competitive sort of spirit. I’ll say this, our team’s really embraced the offseason extremely well and these guys are excited. There’s a lot of energy in the room right now in the building
and this is just another sort of element to that with the rookies. It’s a weekend right now where the rookies don’t have to feel the pressure of veterans being around them and we can focus on them and get them sort of caught up and then come Monday we’re all together as a squad and continue the phase two. It’s an exciting time, an exciting time for me and obviously for our organization.”
(On when emphasis on character and culture starts to show up) “It already has for me with this team. I think about just the numbers of guys that are here in the offseason program. It just shows the character and sort of who these guys really are and football’s important to them, winning is important to them. They’re willing to change and wanting to change and needing it to change obviously. It’s a credit to the players, the leadership of this football team that we have this many guys in our offseason program.”
(On helping the team move on from last season) “I do believe there has to be some kind of healing with the situation and everything that transpired last year because it’s just there’s a lack of trust that was broken, I think. For me, it’s about gaining the trust back and they have to see it through me. They have to see the transparency, the honesty. I’ve always said I’m going to be open with them and I want them to be open with me. It just comes down to communication and having an open line of communication. We’ve been able to have some conversations that way in team settings and I think the guys have really embraced it and are doing well.”
(On rookie LB Devin Lloyd already training with veteran players) “It’s a credit to Devin [Lloyd] obviously. He’s such a tremendous person and not only a football player. He wants to develop, he wants to get better, and he wants to learn from these veterans. I think it’s important that these young guys attach themselves to a veteran in their room and kind of learn the ropes a little bit and learn what it means to be a pro because this is their job now. They don’t have to worry about school or any of that, this is their job and it’s important to them.”
(On getting LB Devin Lloyd a playbook immediately after he was drafted) “No, come on. You can’t do that.”
(On when he can recognize elite players among the team) “As a staff, we’re getting to know our roster a little bit through this time of the offseason. There’s just little flashes of, hints of things from time to time
when you see it with certain players and it kind of just catches your eye a little bit and then you want to follow up the next day and see if it’s holding true with that player. You just see that consistency and that improvement and then you kind of know that he’s going to be okay, he’s going to be a special player for us, and we’ll be able to do a lot of things with somebody that kind of catches our eye that way.”
(On QB C.J. Beathard being a mentor for QB Trevor Lawrence) “The one thing with C.J. [Beathard], he’s played games, he’s started games in this league, and I think that’s valuable. C.J. has the mentality and I think he has the right mentality right now as a backup quarterback where there’s not that threat to Trevor [Lawrence]. It’s not like he’s out there making an agenda for C.J. He’s a team player and he’s on board. You see it out on the grass, or you see it in the classroom where those two are having really good dialogue back and forth and open communication, and that’s really what it takes. I think about my days in Green Bay with [former Packers QB] Brett [Favre]. Not that I was going to threaten Brett’s job, but just having the communication of another set of eyes for the starter, that’s what you have to have. It was Nick Foles with Carson Wentz a few years back [in Philadelphia]. I think those combinations are really good for the starter and it kind of calms the starter down a little bit where Trevor can just focus on his job knowing he has the support of the backup.”
(On judging progress through minicamp) “Obviously, today’s day one so let’s see what he learned from the classroom and then let’s make that judgment tomorrow and then let’s make another judgement on Sunday. Listen, this is still the offseason and the roster’s not set or anything like that, so [we] just want
to see gradual improvement every day whether it’s in his drill work or in a team setting. That’s what you look for in these young guys right now and just see how they’re really fitting in and then how they interact with the veterans when we get the vets in here next week and make our evaluations that way.”
(On the left guard position) “Ben [Bartch]’s obviously the guy right now, but listen, it’s still a young offseason right now and we’re rotating a lot of guys in there. KC [McDermott]’s been in there, [Coy] Cronk’s been in there, so we’re kind of rotating those guys right now. We feel it’s valuable this team of year to really get the versatility out of these guys. Now that we have some of these young guys in here this weekend and going into next week, we’ll be able to maybe shift some guys around even more and find those right combinations.”
JAGUARS OLB TRAVON WALKER
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022
(On his first day of rookie minicamp) “It felt great to be back out on the football field, couldn’t ask for nothing else.”
(On finally being able to get on the field today) “For me, it really felt great because I’m not too big on media, not too big on being in front of the camera. But now I get to actually do what I love to do and put my hands on somebody, hit somebody, play football.”
(On handling the media attention of being the number one overall pick) “I definitely have to say, just me being the person I am, I just like to be where my feet are, control what I can control, do what I can do best to help contribute to the team. I’m not really all looking into myself, like I know what I can do to help my teammates. But I’m really not trying to please anybody else other than my team and my coaches.”
(On stressing about the added attention) “No sir, just go out there and handle my business.”
(On the type of player he is) “For me, I’ve always been coached to just be a coachable player. If you’re not coachable then you’re really not trying to help yourself improve and you’re not trying to help your team improve. So, for me, like I said, I’m big on team then I’ll correct myself with whatever the coaches need.”
(On what position he will be playing) “So far, I’m at outside linebacker with [Outside Linebackers Coach] Coach [Bill] Shuey, but who knows what the future holds. The more comfortable I get with the defense, you never know.
(On earning his first NFL paycheck) “It’s truly amazing, but right now there’s not too much I can do with the money at this time just from being at camp locked in on ball. I’m really not focused on money. I’m just here to play ball and all of that’s just going to come with it. I definitely do say wow, don’t get me wrong. But I mean, hey, I’m here to play football.”
(On being in the outside linebacker position) “I kind of always dibbled and dabbled in the outside linebacker world. But just strictly working on outside linebacker things in practice I feel like I’m truly getting more comfortable with the position, learn a lot more techniques coming from that position and not have to learn so many different other positions.”
(On what he needs to learn coming to the NFL) “There’s always room for improvement. Coming from Georgia, there was a lot of techniques we went over but also coming here [there are a lot]. At Georgia we ran a lot of techniques, but once I got here, [I had to] break down a lot of those techniques that I learned at Georgia, just put them into a family and focus on that one thing.”
(On dropping back in coverage) “It felt good to drop back in coverage. I did it at Georgia, so I’m kind of used to it. But now, I’m working on it a lot more getting into 7 on 7, so I’ll get a lot more comfortable with dropping instead of just dropping every now and then.”
(On what he has been up to since the draft) “Me, I’ve just been grinding. Like once all that was over, I just went back to college, to Georgia, rehab, they had all my nutrition stuff, so I just went back there and continued to put the work in.”
(On seeing former Georgia teammates on campus that were also drafted) “It was definitely a great experience getting to see a lot of the guys at least one more time. I had [Eagles DT] Jordan Davis out there working out with me, [Packers DT] Devonte Wyatt. Just that brotherhood that we had at the University of Georgia, we all bond, we all communicate with each other like, ‘Hey, let’s go work out. Let’s work today’, just having those guys that’ll push you. Like I didn’t really have to work out just because I wasn’t doing anything at the time, but just having those guys around made it a lot easier to go out there in the heat and have some fun, work on ball.”
(On being back on Georgia’s campus after the draft) “For me, I wasn’t really out on campus, but I did go back and ride through because I can say I do miss just the college experience. But I wasn’t out just walking a lot, so I just made the ride through, go get me something to eat, back to my apartment.”
(On communicating with OL Cam Robinson) “So far, I haven’t. That’s something that I’m definitely looking forward to. I’m not too big on trash talk unless I just feel really comfortable with you as a person. Like if I trash talk you then it’s some type of love that I have for you, so that’s the type of person I am.”
JAGUARS LB CHAD MUMA
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022
(On his first day of rookie minicamp) “It was awesome finally being able to put on a Jacksonville helmet and run around out there with some of the other guys and just communicate and kind of get that first day out of the way. It was really awesome.”
(On adding versatility to the linebacker room with fellow rookie LB Devin Lloyd) “It was great. Having Devin [Lloyd] and I out there and be able to really communicate and really communicate with each other and really push each other, that’s kind of something that we talked about going into today. From here on out it’s just to push each other every single day to really get ourselves better and always [have] that communication aspect where we’re making both the calls and we’re having that leadership on both sides of the defense. I think that was huge today also.”
(On how he thinks he will fit into the Jaguars organization) “Initially, it was really kind of a real surprise for me because I saw that they took Devin Lloyd in the first round. So, at that time, my mind was thinking they got their linebacker, I’m not going to be going there. They are the ones that ended up giving me the call, so I was really thankful to have that. I wasn’t sure how it was all going to work now, but after going through the meetings and being able to kind of go through those different positions and be able to kind of flip between Devin and I, it’s good. Now it’s just still kind of getting the feel for it.”
(On Wyoming teammate RB Trey Smith III) “I think Trey Smith [III] is a great player. He’s a hard worker. He’s a great leader also on our Wyoming team back in the past. At the time, he was always that guy that was bringing the energy to practices and always get us going, so that’s something that Trey will definitely bring to everyone here.”
(On when he realized the possibility of making it to the NFL) “It was definitely in the back of my mind a little bit. I think it definitely materialized a little bit when I saw [former Wyoming S and current Jaguar] Andrew Wingard, Dewey, have the success here at Jacksonville then [former Wyoming S and current Eagle] Marcus Epps was drafted that year as well. Then it really came to fruition when [former Wyoming teammate and current Bengals LB] Logan Wilson was going through his draft process, and he got drafted by Cincinnati. I was playing with him and alongside of him my second year. Seeing what he did and that I had ahead of me, that’s really when it kind of came to me.”
(On communication with former Wyoming teammate Logan Wilson) “[Bengals LB] Logan [Wilson]’s been a huge help to me, especially when I was going to the Senior Bowl, going to the combine. He was always there texting me and even yesterday sending me a text wishing me good luck for everything today, so he’s always been a huge help to me.”
(On getting back to football after months of preparation) “It’s the best. I love football way more than doing some track workouts and trying to train for running 40 yards that way. But [it was] definitely nice to get back to some football.”
(On his weight gain throughout the years) “I think yesterday I was like 242 or something like, right around there. It’s definitely constantly eating, constantly putting on that weight. Each year I kind of put on ten pounds throughout my college career. It’s just always staying consistent with that while you’re running and while you’re working out so you don’t lose your speed or lose your strength. But it’s definitely almost like a job when you’re eating that much.”
(On being question about the increased speed of the game) “There wasn’t too many questions. I think there’s definitely going to be a difference with guys moving a little bit quicker, but I don’t think that’s going to be anything too stressful for me.”
(On the Florida heat) “It’s definitely a huge transition. Up in Laramie [Wyoming], it hardly ever gets this hot. You might have one day in the summer there in Laramie when you’re working out outside and it gets hot like this. It’s definitely going to be a little transition, definitely going to have to pushing fluids a little bit more. But at the end of day, you’re still on a football field, still playing football.”
(On advice he’s gotten for dealing with the Florida heat) “They’ve just been telling me constantly [to] drink water, so that’s kind of it.”
(On what he has been up to since the draft) “So the last three weeks, after you get drafted and everything, it’s been Zoom meetings every single day with the coaches, getting that install in, kind of getting that step forward. Then also I’ve been working out at home. I’ve gotten some stuff through my Wyoming trainers, so it was just running and work outs every single day with the Zoom meetings and kind of just doing that on repeat and trying to get back in that football conditioning shape.”
