JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2022
(On how RB Travis Etienne Jr. is progressing) “Well, really well. Gosh, it’s just exciting to get him out here and get him on the grass this whole offseason and really work with him. He’s doing a great job handling a lot of information we’re throwing at the guys and putting him in different spots. [We’re] just seeing what he can do right now.”
(On putting RB Travis Etienne Jr. in multiple spots on the field) “It is fun. This is the time to do that stuff, to really experiment on both sides of the ball and just kind of see what the guys can do, and he’s one of those guys.”
(On LB Chad Muma’s role) “Well obviously, the inside linebacker spot, special teams player, versatile, can run. Again, [he’s] a young player who’s picking up the defense, only been with us a couple of weeks. But with guys in his position, it’ll come down to when you put the pads on in training camp and just see the physicality with these guys. But he’s doing a really nice job, he’s a smart kid, a lot of energy every day, doing well.”
(On what coverage teams LB Chad Muma is a part of now) “Well, that’s the thing. Listen, anything that’s related to the depth chart I’m not going to get into. That’s not the time or the place right now to get into that, so I’ll punt that question.”
(On his expectations finishing OTAs and going into training camp) “We still have this week and next week to wrap things up and still have a lot to get accomplished. For me, it’s obviously number one coming out healthy, no setbacks there, whether it’s a healthy guy now or a guy that’s injured that’s back out practicing with us, and really carrying momentum into training camp. The guys have done an excellent job. We’ve had great attendance as you know, and just sort of keeping that momentum as we sort of wind down here the next couple weeks.”
(On having his program implemented with the team) “I mean we’re close. I mean the next phase obviously is the pads and the physicality and how I handle the transition to training camp. But I think this offseason was a success for us and a success for me from the standpoint of just having the number of guys here and attendance and the excitement and the enthusiasm that’s in the building. The team’s in a good place. We’re throwing a lot at them in all three phases. Mentally, they’re being able to handle that
right now and we’re getting a lot of great looks from our defense. So, there’s a lot of good film we can study as we transition into training camp, but that’s really the next phase now as we get into camp.”
(On the players understanding his program and style of coaching) “I think they’re getting close. We haven’t gone through a training camp yet and there’s some things there that’ll be probably a little different for them. I’m also big on still protecting the guys and making sure they’re fresh and ready to go for the regular season, but at the same time, they have to know that we have to get work done. I spend as much time as I can in pads and feel like that this is a physical game and we need to do that. So, again,
that’s the next phase for them to understand just a little more about how I handle that.”
(On the key for DE/OLB Josh Allen to be more consistent this season) “I mean that’s just it, just be consistent, just be who he is. Don’t try to do anything other than just be Josh Allen. Let his talent speak for itself and feed off of the guys around him and step up as a leader, which we’ve seen him do since he’s been back. He’s an excitable player, someone that can make a lot of plays on defense, and I think with some of the new additions that he’ll be able to get back to that.”
(On additions on defense helping DE/OLB Josh Allen) “I think it can only help him and it takes a little pressure or stress, whatever off of him. I think opponents are going to have to, if the success is there and we hope it is, that as teams scheme us on defense, that maybe it frees up Josh [Allen] to be able to be more of what he was just a couple years ago and getting back to that. I think having those pieces around him can do that.”
(On what has impressed him the most about WR Laviska Shenault Jr.) “Gosh, the way he practices and the way he works out there on the grass. He’s 100 percent on the field. When he gets a rep, it’s 100 percent and he’s done a good job of learning and picking up the information. But to me, that’s what’s really stood out with [La]Viska [Shenault Jr.] is just how he really prepares himself for games and obviously now with just practice.”
(On WR Laviska Shenault Jr.’s request to return punts) “I mean listen, he’s another player that wants to win and do what he can for the team. For him to want to do that just shows, I think, maturity with him and where he is in the stage of his career. The more people that stand up and want to do more things, the better off we’re going to be.”
(On TE Evan Engram fitting into the offense) “He’s another one that you can move around. You can create some matchups with him. Again, we’re still in kind of those early stages as far as just learning and seeing where they are mentally with the offense, but he’s got such great speed and versatility. He’s not a big guy, but he’s an athletic guy. He can run and create some separation and we’ve seen that here the last two weeks of OTAs. It’s something that, as coaches, obviously we’re excited to be able to game plan
when we get down the road for someone like that.”
(On the advantage of having players that can line up at multiple positions, like TE Evan Engram and RB Travis Etienne Jr.) “Yeah, and it also depends on the opponent too, who you’re playing and who they have on defense. You just have to be a little careful with pass rushers and things like that. Just kind of like what we’re talking about, we have to scheme the defense as well and make sure that we’re using resources to be able to throw the football down the field. But yeah, it is exciting to be able to have a couple of guys in your offense that you can [use in multiple positions]. Throw Christian Kirk in there, you could put him in that group, and guys that you can move around. [La]Viska [Shenault Jr.]’s another one you could probably throw in that group that you want to get touches for these guys. The only problem is you have one football, and you just try to do the best you can to get them all involved.”
(On it being a cognizant choice to have former players on the coaching staff) “No, to answer the first part. It wasn’t the first thing I thought of, but obviously guys that have played I think these players can kind of look up to them that they’ve been out there and kind of done that and been there. There’s a lot of great, I think, information that can go back and forth and questions can be answered just because the guys have played. Of course, for most of us it’s been a while since we’ve played, but I think just leaning on those experiences and being able to translate that and really communicate that to your team helps those guys.”
(On experienced coaches be able to help a young team) “I think so. Guys that don’t have as much experience on the grass can look to a coach, their position coach and say, ‘Hey, how did you do this?’ or ‘How’d you do that?’, and I think that can definitely help a younger player.”
(On having experienced coaches together when coaching a team for the first year) “One, all these guys have had experience coaching number one, and then number two, I think their background of playing the game has helped and they’ve been coached by some great coaches themselves. So, a lot of those experiences really can translate to a young team.”
(On RB James Robinson’s progress) “Those things, of course, I don’t see them because they’re not out on the field. I hear about those things. I’m excited to see him do that. It just shows the progression of where he is health wise and really looking forward to down the road when we get him back. But all of that is exciting knowing that he’s heading in the right direction.”
(On the depth and versatility in the running back room, especially when everyone is healthy) “It is exciting, but at the same time, we as coaches, we have to make sure that we get the most out of them and put them in the right spots too. It’s our job to do that and they just have to go play and let us worry about where they play. But again, it goes back to the amount of touches with one football, so he’s [RB James Robinson] definitely a player that we want to consider.”
(On DE Arden Key’s role within the defense) “Arden [Key]’s going to be, gosh, he’s going to be, again one of these versatile defensive linemen. Whether he’s playing on the edge or playing inside, it brings some value on third down obviously, the pass rush. And [he’s] a rotational guy, a guy that we can [use to] keep d-line fresh throughout the course of the game and these guys don’t have to play 75, 80 percent of the snaps. You can really spread it around. I think the year we [Philadelphia Eagles] won the Super Bowl, guys like [Eagles DT] Fletcher Cox and [Eagles DE] Brandon Graham are only playing 60, 65 percent of the snaps because we were rotating guys. That’s what you have to have are guys that can come in and contribute and he’ll be one of those guys.”
(On QB Trevor Lawrence’s progress since last week) “He’s doing a really nice job, really nice job leading the football team number one and just executing the offense. Obviously, I’ve been impressed with him throwing the football and how easy it is for him to throw and the communication too. That’s the growth process just watching him and the questions that he asks. It’s been fun just to kind of get to know him a
little bit. We’ve put in him in some tough situations, we’ve put the whole team in tough situations, which is part of the process too, and he’s been able to handle those really well.”
(On DT Malcolm Brown and DB Darius Williams’ status) “I think they’re very similar to James [Robinson]. I don’t like to talk about timelines and all that because you never know. But they’re both doing extremely well and working hard so we’ll see I think when it’s down the road, training camp. As we get going, we’ll see where they kind of fit in.”
(On his involvement in the construction of the new practice facility) “Well, I wish they would wash my car every day because of all of that construction dust kind of falls on the parking lot. No, it’s been really good. The construction team that the Jaguars have, people that are overseeing it have asked for opinions and some insight and some input, especially on the football side and how a football office should be and look. So, we’ve had some good meetings and some production.”
(On the size of his office in the new facility) “It’s about the same size, maybe a touch bigger. It’ll have more windows. You’ll really have to peek over the fence to see in, but yeah.”
(On making changes to the plan for the new facility) “Not necessarily changes, but just suggestions and ideas that if they want to make the changes then they can. But I think it’s just more of the suggestions and ideas that they’re interested in.”
JAGUARS QB TREVOR LAWRENCE
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2022
(On injuries today in practice) “C.J. [Beathard], that’s my guy so I hope he’s alright, so just praying about that. Same thing with Jordan [Smith], [he] went down a little earlier. He got up a little quicker so I’m hoping both of them are good and [it’s] just a minor setback. Just thoughts and prayers for them.”
(On seeing what happened on the play QB C.J. Beathard got injured) “I didn’t. I was looking at the throw and saw him on the ground, wasn’t sure exactly if someone bumped into him, if he just went the wrong way. I don’t really know, but like I said, just hoping he’s alright and we’ll go back and look at it on film. Maybe we’ll be able to tell a little bit more, but I didn’t see what happened.”
(On having an officiating crew at practice today) “It just helps, certain plays, obviously up front it’s a little harder, we don’t have pads on so all the timeclock and the holding calls, all that is kind of hard to judge. But out on the perimeter, it helps a lot with PI, offensive and defensing holding, if guys are moving at all when the ball’s snapped, having the right guys on the line of scrimmage, all of that. It helps a lot when you have those guys out there. Just every little detail, making sure we’re crisp. [We] had a
pretty good day today so [we’ll] just continue to talk to them. Even if they aren’t throwing flags, [they’re] giving us little tips like, ‘Hey, watch your hands here if you’re a receiver or a DB’, just helping us with that. [They are] just on the field. Before and after they’ll talk to us a little bit.”
(On the progress of installing the offense) “We’re getting close to end of our [install]. We’ve installed, probably this is our third time through this whole offseason program. Each time we add a few things to each install, a few little twists and adjustments and additions, all that. I mean we have a lot of stuff in right now. We have a few more to go over again, like I said, and add a few things. But we went through all of it, through everything, at least one time and some of the things, this is the third time. We’re
making great progress, playbook’s coming together really nicely. It’s been really good.”
(On if he was expecting this progress by training camp) “You kind of imagine it goes this way. It’s been really smooth. Like I said, being able to install it three times really helps you each time understand it more and more and pick up on little things and just execute it better all the way around, so that’s helped a lot. Then by the time training camp comes, obviously we’re going to back and review stuff, but then we can really hit the ground running and have everything in and script practices a certain way where we
have all of our ammo instead of just install by install. We can kind of have the whole playbook.”
(On the nuances he likes about the offense) “We just do a variety of things. I think we mix it up a lot. There’s a lot of outlets as a quarterback. You can get put in the right position, you can put yourself in the right position I should say, and then it just allows us to play fast. There’s a lot of answers and a lot of adjustments, but only if you need them. If not, you can play fast, guys can play free, and really just let people react. That’s, I think, the whole idea is to give you all the answers but at some point, you have to go play and be able to play fast. I think we’re getting there where we’re finally understanding everything, and we can just go out there and play.”
(On having a lot of possible adjustments) “Last year helped me a lot. That was really my first time really dealing with checking in and out of things, getting us in the right play, good matchup, route, whatever it is. So last year, it was tough to think about all those things. You have all these options and figuring out which one’s best. Now that I’ve had that experience, it helps a lot because I know I have a few things. You can’t do everything, so you have a checklist in your mind, these are the things I want to do today
based on last week what they did, last practice, whatever it may be. These are some things I want to get to and if we get the right look, get to them. If not, then you just do the best with what you have and do the next best thing. That’s what [Offensive Coordinator] Press [Taylor], and [Head Coach] Coach [Doug] Pederson and [Quarterbacks Coach] Coach [Mike] McCoy all talk about is if we’re not in the perfect play, just do the next best thing. Take a completion, throw the ball away, whatever it is and that’s just something that I’ve been trying to work on. I think it’s helped a lot.”
(On the play that CB Shaquill Griffin got his hands on the ball) “[I] just had a little pressure, probably got sacked honestly. [I] had a little pressure, so just kind of made it a scramble. [I] just made a bad decision outside of the pocket. Probably just [should’ve] checked that thing down or I think our back guy ate up a protection so probably [should] just throw that one away once I get out of the pocket.”
(On DL Roy Robertson-Harris) “He’s had a great offseason. Like I’ve said, it’s always hard when nobody has pads on. It’s just kind of messy up front because tempo’s tough with those guys. But he’s had a great offseason, I mean you guys have seen him. He’s huge and he looks really good. Last year, I thought he started to pick it up a lot. Towards the end of the year, I thought he started to play well. Just to see him come out and the whole spring he’s been playing really well, so I’m excited to see that.”
(On TE Evan Engram’s role in the offense) “Evan [Engram]’s great. He adds a lot of speed at tight end. Looking at our tight end room, you have some really good players. Some new guys obviously, but then you have Dan [Arnold] who can kind of do it all, Evan who’s really fast who’s going to add an explosive element to the offense, Chris Manhertz, just a really big guy that can help in the passing game, a great
blocker, and then Luke [Farrell] who’s kind of a hybrid that can just plug and play wherever you need him, really good in the pass game, really technical with his hands in the blocking game, run game. We have a really good room, well-rounded and I think that’s going to help us a lot this year.”
(On being on a team with a lot of voices giving input on the offense) “It’s been really smooth. I think everybody’s on the same page, which is good. I think the way they built the staff is everyone has a similar [point of view]. Not everyone’s going to think the same. Obviously, you need that diversity to be able to put you in the best position to win, but everyone’s on the same page and you can tell it’s very seamless. Also too, when people talk, it’s not everyone trying to say their opinion. It’s kind of people pick and choose and I think they do a good job of communicating beforehand so when we get into meetings, they kind of know exactly what they’re all thinking and they’re all on the same page. Definitely the collaboration, it’s more voices, which is great. Like I said, they just do such a good job communicating. [There’s] not many situations where guys aren’t on the same page and where they’re disagreeing and thinking two different things. Obviously, we have a lot of great conversation of what’s the best idea for that particular situation, but [there’s] a lot of communication which is really good.”
(On WR Jamal Agnew being back at practice) “[He] looks great. It’s good to have him back out. He’s been kind of working his way up, taking it slow. There’s no reason to rush it right now. I know kind of what he can do. He gave us a lot of explosive plays last year, gave us a burst. He was great. He made a lot more plays on offense than we all probably would’ve seen going into the season just because he’s mostly a special teams guy. But having that extra guy that you can plug in at receiver, in the slot, whatever you
need for speed, it just helps a lot. It gives you an extra element.”
(On how long it will take to erase last season) “I don’t know honestly. I’m not even thinking about that anymore. We’ve been, for now a few months, just deep diving into putting this plan together and putting ourselves in the best position to win this year, so I don’t really even think about that or really care anymore at this point. We’re past it.”
(On his reason for optimism this season) “I think there’s a lot of things. Obviously, like you said, the roster, we have a lot of really good players. Like I’ve said, the coaching staff, just the way everything’s been structured, the way they’ve approached everything, the leadership, all those things I think is going to help us a ton. And then the team as well, I think the mindset of the team has been great. Obviously, guys that were here already, we had a lot of good people here on the team, good voices, good players.
But then to add a bunch of new guys that are also just hard workers, great players, the right people you want to be around, all those things coming together. I think that the leadership is definitely going to make a big difference.”
(On planning workouts and trips with fellow teammates) “We have a little plan. It’s not done yet, so I don’t want to put it all out there. Also, people are weird, and I don’t want everybody knowing where we’re going. But yeah, we’re going to go somewhere and get some work in, have a little bit of fun, just fellowship a little bit. That’s the biggest thing. Obviously, it’s good to go throw for a couple of days, but just getting to hang out and get to know each other more and just spend some time together is a lot of fun.”
(On WR Laviska Shenault Jr. this offseason) “He’s been great. I know he’s been taking it easy the last couple days, kind of getting himself back a little bit because he was going hard for a few weeks straight and making a lot of plays. He looks a lot faster. Obviously, he’s just going to be that guy when you get the ball in his hands, he’s going to make a play. But as far as just evolving and knowing situationally the right thing to do and route adjustments, all those things, he looks really good. He’s made a big improvement from last year, so it’s been cool to see. I think he’s really hungry. He’s been attacking it and I think it’s showing on the practice field. He’s made a lot of big plays for us already.”
(On WR Laviska Shenault Jr.’s ability to be a playmaker) “[It makes] a huge difference. That’s a guy you have to get the ball in his hands just because he can make so many plays when he has it. But then for his sake, like I just said, the improvement he’s made on just being able to do everything, I think that’s going to help him a lot obviously and help the team a lot because when he’s in the game it’s not just we’re going to get him the ball on a screen or we’re going to throw him quick game, short route and let him
run. It’s he can run the whole route tree and really make a defense [think], get them on their heels, so it helps a lot.”
(On WR Laviska Shenault Jr. volunteering to return punts) “No, I mean he’s a guy who wants to do whatever he can to help the team win, however he can get involved. He’s always been that way. Even last year, he’s always going down the sideline, sacrificing his body. I’d have to tell him, ‘Dude, just step out of bounds. We need you. You don’t need to do that.’ [It] doesn’t surprise me. We have a lot of weapons back there. We have obviously [Jamal] Ag[new], Christian [Kirk], Travis [Etienne Jr.], Laviska [Shenault Jr.], and a few other guys. We have a lot of guys that can do it, so that’s awesome.”
(On RB James Robinson’s progress from last year’s injury) “He’s doing really good. I think his mindset is really good. Obviously, I don’t see a lot of the rehab he does. He’s on his own for a lot of that, but I think his mind is in the right place and I know he’s excited to get back. He’s kind of itching to get back, but [we need to] take our time. We’re not going to win a game right now. We need everybody to get healthy, so
that’s the biggest thing. He understands that, so [he’s] just taking his time and making sure he’s healthy before he comes back, but I know he’s really excited. Just to see the way this offseason has gone; we’ve had conversations and just really excited about where we’re headed.”
(On having RB Travis Etienne Jr. back lining up with him) “It feels good. Obviously last year, [we] didn’t get to do much of that besides the first two preseason games, so it’s really nice having him back there. Just like I’ve said about some other guys, he just adds another element to our offense. We have so many different types of players that we can switch guys in and out and it gives you a whole new look. I think that’s a big thing in the league is being able to make it harder on the defense, different personnels, all those things, and we just have a lot of weapons right now which is great.”
(On TE Evan Engram looking more like a wide receiver) “Definitely. He’s heavier than he looks though. I mean he’s probably, I don’t exactly how heavy he is, probably 240. He’s heavier than he looks, but just his speed. The first time throwing to him, I’m like, ‘Gosh, this guy can fly.’ He runs like a receiver. Just having that matchup is going to be great for us, whoever that is, safety, linebacker. Whoever’s going to have to cover him, it’s going to be tough.”
