JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2022
(On how he feels about the new kicker) “I haven’t seen him on the field yet. I talked to him this morning. James (K James McCourt) did everything right, it’s not about that. It’s that we’re still trying to find the right guy for that spot, and Patterson (K Riley Patterson) was one of the guys that back in the spring that we had liked and considered and followed his career a little bit, so when he became available, we wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. We’re always going to be looking for the best guys and create some competition, so it will be a good opportunity for him.”
(On what about K Riley Patterson caught his eye) “His make percentage, the accuracy, talking to coaches and teams he has been and all that is a big part of the process for us, and we just felt comfortable, and again, just trying to add as much talent as we can.”
(On if all five new players are in the building) “I believe the last one just came in a few minutes ago from physicals and things like that.”
(On if WR Kendric Pryor was about to sign to the Bengals’ practice squad then had to make a quick flight to Jacksonville) “I don’t know about that. He’s here in our building and ready to go.”
(On Zac Taylor giving Offensive Coordinator Press Taylor a call and why WR Kendric Pryor was a priority) “I think they talk quite a bit, so maybe. I think again, those conversations are between brothers. Listen, you get to this point in the season at the end of camp, and you look at, for us, too, you’ve got to look at
your 48, that’s your gameday guys, then you’ve got to look at your 53, and eventually your practice squad. We felt pretty comfortable with the 48, then we wanted to make some decisions to add some talent, specifically special teams, and we’ve talked about this, Trent and I alluded to this the other day that your back third or back few guys of your roster are core special teams players, and the guys that we’ve brought in are all that and can play special teams. Pryor is probably the one that doesn’t have as much [special] teams value, but he was a guy that, we still needed a receiver spot available and felt real comfortable with him, and excited for him and his opportunity to be with us along with the other guys.”
(On what about his skillset got them to grab WR Kendric Pryor from Cincinnati) “I think, too, his versatility. Obviously he can play inside, but he’s an outside receiver for what he showed, just a kid that’s a hard worker. Even when you talk to some of their coaches, he’s a guy that they’ve really invested a lot of time in and a smart guy who will be able to pick up our system well and quickly, obviously as we get ready for the start of week one.”
(On how important conversations are with coaches of players that he did not see in his own training camp) “It’s very important, because as you know, we pride ourselves on bringing in high character guys and guys that can fit into the current locker room and gel with the team. He was one of those, really all five of the guys that we looked at plus some of the practice squad additions are all guys that are going to
fit into that locker room, and they’re going to compete, and they’re coming to work. That’s what you want. You want to build on that. It’s important to us that we make sure we find those guys.”
(On how he feels about where he is at after seven months of starting a rebuild) “I think we’re in a good place. I think we understand our roster. I think we understand the type of guys we do have. Adding the free agents and adding the draft picks now. I still believe, too, that you’re still a work in progress. I don’t think it’s a final product by any means right now, and we’re still working through some things, but I feel comfortable from a standpoint of we’re healthy going into the regular season, that’s number one, that’s
always a big thing when you start the year. I like where Trevor is, the quarterback, that’s a big part of this, and his comfort level within the system, and really how this team has come together over the course of the last six weeks in camp really shows the maturity and leadership of this football team. Standing here today, yeah, you feel good about your team going into the regular season, but again, we still haven’t played a game and have got a long way to go.”
(On if there is a secret sauce to having such a good record in his division when coaching at Philadelphia) “I think, too, there’s familiarity in your division, obviously you play these guys twice a year, all the time, so you understand them, they understand you a little bit, and listen, sometimes it does come down to players. They’re the ones out there playing. There’s no magical formula to winning, it’s just putting your pieces against their pieces and out-executing people. Familiarity is one thing, I think it’s good, but again, you’re at the beginning of the season where they don’t know much about you, and you don’t know a whole lot about them, and everybody’s roster is different, different personnel, and that’s the exciting part of the game planning aspect for us as coaches and trying to put our players in those positions.”
(On if he excited to go back and play in his old division) “I am. I’ve obviously been in that stadium a lot, and of course, Coach (Ron) Rivera, a lot of respect for him, and Carson (QB Carson Wentz) is there, and we drafted him and worked with him, so I’m excited about that and looking forward to getting up there.”
(On if it helps to get someone like K Riley Patterson with experience like he has) “It helps. I told you guys, In ’17 I think it was with Jake Elliot, we basically poached him from the practice squad and he kicked all season and is still there for them. Yeah, he’s guy that’s had experience. It does help, but at the same time, that wasn’t the end-all to everything.”
(On where LB Ty Summers will play) “Right now inside, and then a special teams player for us. Probably in that Quarterman (LB Shaquille Quarterman) mold a little bit but has that athleticism, though, and for us at that position, it’s special teams value, what he’s shown, what he’s done. Not an overly big guy but a tough guy, smart guy, and that’s what you want.”
(On if it will help his transition coming from a zone-based system in San Francisco) “It does. There’s familiarity with him and within the scheme, and he’s been a third down guy for them, too, a third down back for them. He’s been good in protection, what you’ve seen this year and in years past, a special teams type player. We’re excited to get him in here, again, he’s got game experience, a veteran player. It just adds to that room.”
(On if the decision to release OL Will Richardson speaks to his confidence in the depth at that position) “It does, and it gives him an opportunity to be picked up too, because he’s a good player. He’s played games, and it gives him a chance to be picked up, but it does. It shows the confidence in the eight guys right now we have in the 53 and even some of the practice squad guys who played well in the preseason
who are in that spot. It can be tough when you’re letting veteran players go, but at the same time, we understand that he’s a good player, and we wish him well and hope he gets picked up.”
(On the importance of being able to get out on the practice field with the 53 these past few days) “It’s different when you go from 91 to 53. It’s a small group, but it is good, good to see the guys kind of come together and see who your team, the guys are. Tuesday was a little different because we didn’t have any practice squad players, so we had to modify some things for that practice, then we got some guys back yesterday, and we’ll have a few more back today, so it’s still a work in progress, but it’s good to finally see the 53 that you’re working with.”
(On about working out RB Corey Clement yesterday) “Yeah I’ve got history with Corey, obviously, undrafted free agent in Philly in ’17. Let me start with this: The confidence in our running back room is high, tremendously high. We’re excited where James (RB James Robinson) is at, where Travis (RB Travis Etienne Jr.) is at, now you’ve got Hasty (RB JaMycal Hasty) and Snoop (RB Snoop Conner) in there, so the room is a good room, a lot of confidence in that room. Look at a guy like Corey and our history together, he was a core player for us, and when we were evaluating the roster and where we needed some pieces, and we looked at the special teams element of that, and we brought him in, we talked to him, wanted to see where he was at, and nothing came of it, but it’s always good to revisit those players.”
(On if he picks the captains) “I put it on the team actually. It’s their choice, and I think it’s important that they pick them. It’s not necessarily me. I stay out of it, and we’re going to go through that process, and I do two offense, two defense, and two special teams captains, five permanent for the year, then I’ll rotate a sixth each week, but those are guys that their peers look up to. There’s a level of responsibility there. It’ll be good to see who they pick.”
(On how he picks the sixth captain each week) “It’s random. It could be if a player is from that area on the road, stuff like that. If it’s a home game and they had a good game last week, something like that, and I just try to rotate it and look at the veterans on the team, even some of the young guys and just pick it. It’s just a random selection.”
(On if Trevor has some traits that make him seem more like a seasoned veteran that a second year) “There are some, but there’s still some growth to be had and to be done. I do like where he’s at going into the season this year. Got a good handle on the offense and the personnel around him. Smart guy. He’s picked up a lot of the protections and different things that we’re doing. I’ll tell you this, playing last year, playing every game last year really has helped him get to this point and you see the veteran in him and the leadership in him in that way and continuing to work and I’d say a work in progress each week to get better, and that’s what you want. You want to keep improving now. Again, you don’t want to be a finished product in September, you want to be a finished product in January, February.”
(On the how helpful it can be to have great receivers who can talk back and forth with the quarterback about running their routes) “I think it’s very important, so it’s like Trevor (QB Trevor Lawrence) doesn’t have to do everything. He gets that feedback from his teammates. They can dialogue and watch film together during the week and really see how they want to attack an opponent. For Trevor, it just gives him confidence knowing that those guys are engaged that way and just give him the help that he needs.”
(On the plan for the weekend) “Three day bender. Ice cream. (laughter) The CBA allows for three days off for the players, so Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Just want them to be smart and just think about the
start of the season and think about how they want to go into this first week and hopefully get off on the right foot and get off to a fast start, but at the same time I want them to kind of get away and be with their families because we know the season is long, and it’s a grind, and I want the coaches to do the same. Friday, Saturday, Sunday for the players, and I’ll give the coaches Saturday Sunday. Then we’re all back here on Monday. Two days of ice cream, pizza and ice cream.”
(On how they decide what fun things, such as the ping pong table, go in the locker room) “Well, when all the big guys come to me and say, ‘Can we get ping pong?’ That’s one of the things here. In the stadium there’s no player lounge. Most facilities have a place where players can go, just sit down, relax, and unwind, and there’s usually a pool table or a ping pong table in there. We don’t right now have it until our new facility is built, but it’s just a way for them, too, to stay together and have some friendly competition in there. It’s good to have it.”
(On the new building’s player lounge) “It’s going to have a player lounge in there for them to just get off their feet and relax and just enjoy one another when they’ve got downtime.”
(On who brought the putting green mat) “I don’t know. I think it was the kickers. Honestly I think it was Logan (K Logan Cooke). Well it wasn’t the new one. Logan, let’s put it on Logan. Don’t quote me on that, though.”
(On if OL Ben Bartch is the starting left guard and if so, what has he done to get that position) “Maybe. Without revealing a lot of detail. He’s done a nice job competing over there with Tyler (OL Tyler Shatley). Again, that’s a position, along with right tackle, that we feel really comfortable with who’s in there. Both guys, really all four guys when you throw in Walker (OL Walker Little) and Jawaan (OL Jawaan Taylor), they’ve done a nice job. That’s one thing you like about teams like this, too, when there’s battles, there’s a lot of unselfishness. These guys just really know how to practice and know how to compete and just know that whatever decision is made, the other one has got their back and is ready to go in.”
(On if he will announce left guard, right tackle, and captains next week) “I’ll probably give you captains next week. It’s possible (for left guard and right tackle).”
(On if he likes the team to come out as a team or by lineups for games) “Honestly, I like both, but I’ll leave it up to Alex on that, he’ll make that decision. Actually I’ve done both. I’ll alternate offense, defense, usually on home games. The problem is with odd home games, one of them is probably going to be a team, so we will see.”
(On how far ahead he is on game planning for the Commanders with the extra week) “This week is unique because we can look ahead to the Commanders, but at the same time, we’re focused on our roster, too, so there’s a lot of moving pieces and moving parts, it’s kind of two-fold that way. We’re putting some ideas and some things in front of our players this week that could be in the game plan, may not be in the game plan, things we want to try, pass concepts, possibly a new defense, whatever it might be, just to see if this is the time to kind of experiment with that this week, but at the same time, but again, be looking at Washington and getting to know the personnel a little bit and familiarize with them and get ready for next week.”
(On if he started looking ahead to Washington before this week) “If you think about it, and most teams probably do this way back in the spring, honestly, April, May, June, they devote time practicing their first, at least the division opponents, even the opener. I’ve done that in my past. Didn’t do it here, but at
the same time, I’ve done that where we’ve worked on our three division opponents and our opener during OTAs. It’s not out of the possibility that teams are still doing that. We’ve peeked at our, especially when the schedule first comes out, you know your first, second, and third game right there, so you try to align some things and try to get ahead a little bit because you’ve got time in the spring to look at a lot of tape.”
(On if there was a reason why he decided not to work ahead here) “Not really. Just new team, focus on the roster, putting in new schemes, new offenses, new defenses, and just focus on that.”
The Jacksonville Jaguars have claimed LB Caleb Johnson off of waivers from the Chicago Bears, the team announced today. Additionally, the team has released DL Adam Gotsis.
Johnson signed with the Chicago Bears as a rookie free agent in 2021 and played in 14 games for Chicago as a rookie, tallying four special teams tackles. He attended Houston Baptist and became the first player in their football program’s history to sign with an NFL team. Johnson ranks first all-time in school history with seven fumble recoveries, second with 10.0 sacks and third with 278 career tackles.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed K James McCourt, S Josh Thompson and WR Seth Williams to the practice squad, the team announced today.
