DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR MIKE CALDWELL
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023(On if it will be hard to make decisions regarding the roster) “It’s really not. We always tell the guys, ‘You make the decision for us.’ Whoever goes out there and plays the best and does what we ask them to do, they end up the guys. It’s good competition, and we’ve got a lot of guys to choose from. At the end of the day, the guys that go out there and play consistently, those are the guys that normally win the jobs.”
(On if he is confident that the back end of the defensive roster will be stronger this season compared last) “I think overall, we’re in year two, and guys are developing, and we have multiple guys to choose from. At the end of the day, normally year twos in different schemes, and when a team comes together, you get the people you want and the talent around you that you want. We’ve done a good job of that
around here.”
(On how valuable it is when a team can affect the quarterback) “It’s huge, because you can look at the first third down of the game last week, Roy [Robertson-Harris] had a great rush, didn’t get a sack, but it was a pressure, and it effected the quarterback. There are different ways to move the quarterback off the spot and get him to speed up, but it’s not always going to be a sack. We want the sacks, but, at the end of the day, it’s really pressure and effecting the quarterback.”
(On what he’s seen from CB Gregory Junior) “Just the growth, you know. He [Gregor Junior] came in last year from a small college, and now he belongs. He belonged last year, but he had to get that confidence. You see him out there, he’s more confident. He’s understanding the technique. He’s trusting what he’s doing. He’s working hard, and it’s paying off for him.”
(On if he sees potential of a big jump from year one to year two for CB Gregory Junior) “You always look for rookies in that second year to have a jump, and it really comes down to them being able to understand the NFL game, be students of the game and put the work in to make that jump. It won’t just happen. He’s doing a good job of putting the work in, and we’re ready for that jump.”
(On if there’s still juice left in DT DaVon Hamilton’s game to become a better pass rusher) “Without a doubt. The sack he made, he had a great rush and got a sack. They come in bunches, and different guys, when their number is called, they just have to make sure they’re in the right spot, and those things will happen.”
(On what he liked from his starting defense) “I liked the speed. I liked the speed of how we played. I thought we played fast, and with the defense, you always have to do that. The guys went out there and understood the game plan and executed well.”
(On what he would like to clean up with the starting defense) “At the end of the day, tackling. We missed a few tackles, so that’s something we can do better at. And then, situational football. We’re in year two. We have to understand that in certain situations, we have to play them differently. We worked on it yesterday and corrected it, and we will continue to do that. Situational football, we can get
better at that aspect.”
(On if Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma have made jumps in intangible skills) “Really the thing you see from those guys right now is the play speed. I was watching Chad [Muma], on one side, he flashed all the way across the field. Devin [Lloyd], early on in the game, they threw a pitch route, and he was right on it. Them being able to anticipate and understand what offense is doing and playing faster, that’s the key to
playing good defense.”
(On if two days of joint practice is a test for the defense) “We’re looking at it as good work. It’s going to be work for us. Last year, we played them in the regular season, and it didn’t go our way. We understand their offense, and they present problems for us. So, we’re up there ready to go and see how we stack up against it.”
(On if he feels more confident after playing Detroit in the regular season last year) “I think any time you can practice against another team, you get a different look; you get a different feel; you get a different style. We’re just ready to be able to play against anything. Whatever offense throws at us, we have to be able to handle it, and that’s the way we’re looking at it. We’ve practiced against our offense over the
last couple weeks, and we know our guys. We just want to go up against new receivers, new linemen, new backs and just get a different feel of practicing and understand what we can do and what we need to work on.”
(On if joint practices are better than preseason games in terms of quality of work with frontline guys) “You can control it. What you want to get accomplished in a practice, you can kind of control that. In a game, you never really know different situations. So, any time you work with another team, it’s always good because the competition is going to be there. You’re going against new people, and you can
control situations.”
(On if it would be better to just do joint practices with teams and limit preseason games) “Would you pay to see a joint practice? [The NFL in] New York would probably want us to continue to have preseason games, which is fine with me. Let’s go into preseason. Being able to practice with other teams is beneficial also.”(On if there are any specific situations he would like to put the defense in) “I wasn’t happy with the two-minute situation and then just situational. Like, certain down and distances, we have to be better at. Those are some of the things we can control and put ourselves in that situation in practice and see if we learned anything from last Saturday. Always being able to handle two-minute situations, whether it’s
before the half, end of game, we call it different, and just being able to let the guys understand why we do something and what defenses we could call. So, two minute really is a big one for me.”
(On if he sees a difference in S Andre Cisco from last year to this year) “He’s a guy who you can see the comfort in him. He’s a talented, good player. You can just see that he’s ready to take that next step. He’s out there, and he’s comfortable. His ability is going to take over. Right out the gate, he came out with pressure. He made the quarterback move, and Big Ham [DaVon Hamilton] got the sack. There are
different ways to be able to use his ability, being able to rush the quarterback, playing the middle of the field. He’s a talented player that we’ll be able to use in a variety of ways.”(On if S Andre Cisco’s role has grown) “Early on in the game, he had a great up-the-field tackle. That’s one of the things he’s improved on. Blitzing, he’s able to do that. The coverage skills, you know he has that, but just being able to be a well-rounded, play-making safety. That’s our vision for him, and that’s what he’s turning into.”
(On if he encouraged mentorship among the players) “I think it really starts with [Head Coach] Doug [Pederson]. He understands, and we talk about family around here a bunch, and the guys buy in. They know that if I have a younger brother, I’m going to beat him up, but I’m also going to pull him along. I think that’s the culture around here. Everybody wants to get better. Everybody’s a Jag. When you’re a
Jag, you help each other out.”
(On if the Jaguar mentality and culture is helpful to the players and to him as a coach) “It’s huge because, as a coach, we have a message we want to get out. The vets know our message already, and they’re able to show the Jags way. Whether it’s how we put our food up in the cafeteria or how we take notes or how we watch film, there is a certain way we want things to go, and we’ll tell a player, but it’s
easier for a vet to show them the way they do it and the way they’ve taken in the teachings of the coaching staff. We have a good group of guys that have bought in. We’re Jags, and we help each other out.”
