Jaguars Transcripts from 9/8 and Sign DE/OLB Aaron Patrick to Practice Squad

JAGUARS QB TREVOR LAWRENCE 

WEEK 1 MEDIA AVAILABILITY 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 

(On being named a team captain) “It feels great, man. It’s a really cool feeling, especially as a younger guy just having that support from my teammates. Like I said, from being named a starter to now a captain, nothing changes, same expectation. Now it’s time to go out there and win some games, but I’m really excited. It’s definitely an honor. It’s a cool moment for me to be named a captain with those other guys. [There’s] just a bunch of great guys in the locker room, so we had a ton of guys that got votes. But definitely, it’ll be cool.” 

(On wearing UGA gear after Clemson lost to them last weekend) “I would have never bought it. I would have never spent my money on that. But Terry [Godwin], good friend Terry, he was kind enough to give it to me afterwards. We had a bet. Whoever won, the other person had to wear their team’s stuff, so he brought me in like a full sweatsuit, medium pants, everything’s too small. It was funny though, it was good.” 

(On if being a captain makes it easier to be a leader) “Yes and no. It definitely, I guess it brings clarity to everything. But at the same time, there’s a ton of guys on our team that won’t have that ‘C’ that are just as much a leader as me or as anyone else. That does mean something, but also there’s a lot of other guys that help lead this thing and we are all in it together. No one person has to carry it all and, like I said, we’re all carrying it. But definitely [it’s] an honor and [I’m] proud for sure.” 

(On preparing for Week 1 versus the preseasons games) “It’s definitely different. Practice format changes a little bit. All eyes go towards the Texans, as before it was still working on our stuff and just trying to get better at what we do. Now, it is still some of that, but it’s more so game plan and trying to go out there and win a game on Sunday. It changes a little bit, but the last two games I felt like we kind of gradually moved into a game plan week, kind of normal, so that helped me mentally just get ready for what each will look like as far as my routine. Especially for the Cowboys game, we had a good week of prep, so I’m basically just mirroring that. Obviously, our game plan is a little bit more than we what we had against Dallas, but from a prep standpoint, it’s very similar.” 

(On the biggest point of emphasis for Sunday’s game against the Texans) “This won’t change every week, but just do what I do, don’t try to do too much. That’s the thing, I have great players around me,  just trusting those guys, trusting [Offensive Coordinator] Coach Bev[ell], [Passing Game Coordinator] Coach Schotty [Schottenheimer], everybody to put me in a good position, which they have, and just go play. But as far as defensively, [the Texans are] just a really sound defense. They don’t try to necessarily trick you. They don’t have a bunch of crazy looks and all these different coverages. They keep it pretty simple, but the tough thing about that is when you keep something simple, everyone’s exactly where they’re supposed to be, so it makes those windows tighter. They do a really good job when they play man coverage of not giving up big plays, so that will be a challenge. [We] definitely like what we’ve seen from our group, but they do a good job, zone eyes, really good job reading the quarterback. They forced 10 turnovers this preseason, which is three games. That’s a lot of turnovers, so that’s one thing that jumps out off the page when you’re looking at just their stats, but just the way they fly around has been impressive to watch.” 

(On the team talking about last year’s 1-15 season) “We don’t really talk about it much. Maybe at first when everyone was kind of new and everyone’s getting here and we’re asking how was last year, trying to get a feel for what the team was like then and just how it’s different now and all those things. At this point, we have our group, and we like who we have. We don’t really talk about what happened last year. This is a new team, new coaching staff, a lot of new players, a lot of the same players that are great players, but we have kind of moved on.” 

(On building relationships within the team) “It’s been great. I feel like right now we’re a really close team. We have grown a lot since camp started, but we’ve been working on this since even before the draft. Guys have been working on this since January, February. The guys were here working out, getting to learn the new systems, all that. Then the draft class got here in late April or May, I guess it was May, and so we have been working since OTA’s. It’s been a few months in the works of trying to get this thing rolling and we feel like we’re in a really good spot. The team is gelling. We just have a lot of good dudes on the team, hard workers, and it’s cool to be around. You hear a lot of different things in college about the NFL and how guys only care about getting paid, as long as they have a good contract and they are getting their money, they don’t really care, but we just don’t have guys like that here. That hasn’t been my experience at all, and I think that’s cool to be on a team like that.” 

(On lobbying for quarterback runs in the offense) “Not really. I don’t know. There’re some things that we try to carry over, but also [Offensive Coordinator] Coach Bev[ell], [Passing Game Coordinator] Coach Schotty [Schottenheimer], our whole staff has been coaching for a long time in NFL. I mean there’s guys like [Ravens QB] Lamar Jackson that can go out there and run the zone read 10 or 12 times a game and be successful, but I mean I’m not really that type of guy. I’m not lobbying to try to get more of that, but also that is something that I’ve had some success with that we have practiced. Definitely that’s something that we have the ability to do, but no I’m not really lobbying for that. I think we’ve had a good plan the last two weeks and I really like what we have so far for the Texans and [I’m] just rolling  with that.” 

(On people underestimating his ability to run) “People say that, but also I feel like people have always been saying that people underestimate it. I guess if everyone says that then I guess people don’t, so I don’t know. I really don’t know. I think I’m faster than I look for sure, but I’m not going to blow anyone’s socks off with my speed. I can definitely move when I need to. It’s something the more you can have in your bag [the better]. Especially in this league, [you] have a lot of guys that can run on the d-line, pass rush is really good. You have to be able to use your legs.” 

(On WR Tyron Johnson) “He looks great. He can fly. We’ve put him on some deep routes just to see him run and he can open it up. He’s looked great, really excited to have him. He’s been picking it up really quick. I mean he just got here on I guess that was Monday, just came in here. First day we were putting him there in the walk through just trying to see how he learns everything. He’s done great, so [I’m] excited for that. We have a lot of guys in that receiver group that have been playing well, some guys that are a little banged up, but when they get back, we’re pretty deep. I’m excited and obviously as a quarterback that’s really important. We have a good group.”

(On getting back in harmony with WR DJ Chark Jr.) “It’s been great. Honestly, I don’t feel like we’ve really missed a step. We’ve stayed a couple days after to get some timing routes and all those things just to make sure we’re good, but we’ve completed a ton of balls. Even last week, it was funny like he couldn’t really use his hand that much still and he’s catching everything with his chest. I don’t think we had one incompletion when we we’re throwing in team periods and it’s just hitting his chest. You can hear all the way from where I was throwing it. That was cool, but he looks great. You can tell his work ethic. I think him being out for a while, he was itching to get back. It’s been really nice to have him  back.” 

(On setting the tone for the season in Week 1) “It’s super important, super important just for this new season, all we’ve been working for. Just to get that first win under your belt especially [against] a division opponent, it’s huge, on the road, just [to get] a lot of confidence going into the season. Like you said, it’s a long season and you need all that confidence and get it rolling. That’s all our focus is on right now and just taking it one game at a time. Yeah, it’s a long season, but you just have to take it one week at a time.” 

(On his nerves going into his first regular season game) “I’m always a little nervous before almost every game, but especially like the first game. We played some preseason, and I was nervous before those, but first official game, starting a division game on the road, all those things, I’m going to have a little bit of butterflies. That’s just part of it, but we’ll be ready. I’m excited. It’s going to be fun. Get a good first play under your belt, get rolling, sometimes take a little hit, kind of get you into the game. I’m excited. It’s going to be fun.”

LB MYLES JACK 

WEEK 1 MEDIA AVAILABILITY 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 

(On being named a captain this season) “I just feel like it’s one of the highest honors especially in the NFL. A lot of awards can kind of be skewed, but to be in your building and have people feel like you deserve to be a captain, I truly appreciate it, especially with the new faces. There’re so many new guys, it’s a brand-new team. I guess to just kind of have that kind of respect and people think that highly of you means a lot, so it’s really cool.” 

(On already being in year six of his career) “We’ve definitely had some longer seasons than others in the past, but it’s been a really cool journey. It’s crazy I was actually thinking about it because we had the weekend off and everything and just kind of going through the timeframe. I couldn’t imagine it going like this and I’ve enjoyed every second of it. It’s been great and hopefully year six, we can start to kind of turn that Jaguar name around. We’ve shaken up the whole building from top to bottom, so it’s going to be really exciting.” 

(On the climb from the bottom to the top of the NFL) “It’s really, in a sense, the best position to be in because nobody’s really counting you in, people aren’t really looking your direction, everybody’s looking at the typical guys, the Chiefs, the Bucs, Pittsburgh, everybody. As long as we kind of stay in our lane, keep building what we got, we have great talent, we have the pieces, we’re getting that gel together so that way everybody trusts everybody, everybody knows what each other can do, and then we just kind of go from there. It’s really a great position to be in. When everything’s sweet like 2017 and you have all the media and it’s all cool, it kind of relaxes you. When things aren’t going as good, it kind of puts that fire underneath you. This offseason I was even more motivated from last year just going 1-15. I was like I’m never experiencing that again. It’s really a great position to be in. You just have to embrace the challenge because life isn’t easy.” 

(On becoming a mentor) “It’s cool because I feel like it’s a disservice [not to be]. Even as human beings, when you get a piece of information, your job is to pass it down to the next generation just so that way they can kind of speed through what you messed up on. That’s really what I try to help Shaq[uille Quarterman] with. When you’re young, there’s days when it’s good, there’s days when it’s bad, there’s hard days at practice and you just have to embrace it. Not every day you’re going to go out there and practice and have a fantastic practice, but that’s the point of it. You learn from it, get better, and go from there. It’s just little things I’ve been giving Shaq and Shaq’s going to play in this league a long time. When he gets his chance, he’s going to run with it and do his thing.” 

(On having a mentor versus being a mentor) “It kind of goes both ways. On one hand, a guy that’s established as Poz [former Jaguars linebacker Paul Posluszny] is, when he decides to give you some game, you should take it. That’s kind of [a] credit to me for listening and not being a young guy and just ignoring him. [That’s] on Shaq[uille Quarterman] too, [there’s] just some young guys that don’t want to hear anything. Shaq likes to sit down, come down, ask me a question. Now we’re locker mates, so now we’re just chatting it up all the time, but it’s really cool.” 

(On when he started to mentor LB Shaquille Quarterman) “As soon as he came in because realistically, the season I had prior when they drafted Shaq[uille Quarterman], I was like ok, he’s coming in here to take a spot. I just kept it real with him, gave him the game. I said make sure you know what you’re doing so when you get in, you can go in and take off with things.” 

(On former teammate and current Packers TE Marcedes Lewis) “I mean he’s a specimen. I feel like he’s 6’9” in pads, but he’s 6’8”, very athletic, can run. If they throw a jump ball and you’re not looking at it and he can see it, there’s no way you can defend it. Then as a person off the field, if I had anything to ask him and then with the UCLA connection, go Bruins, he’s always had my back with anything I’ve asked him or questions, just making sure how I’m doing. Even last year, he was like, ‘How’s the family doing? How’s everything?’ I’ll always have love for Marcedes [Lewis], man. He was great to me.” 

(On his relationship with Assistant Head Coach and Inside Linebackers Coach Charlie Strong) “Coach [Charlie] Strong, he coached at UT, so when we played UCLA actually in Dallas, I played him, then he actually recruited me coming out of high school, so knowing him through there, and then just kind of this offseason as we’ve gotten together, just collaborating on things, seeing how we look at the game, how he coaches and what he sees in me, his expectations of me. I’m just trying to meet that. It’s really cool to have somebody who’s such an established [coach], knows the game, and can teach you so many things. But then, at the same time, we can talk about anything: ball, things outside of football, like anything. It’s a cool relationship and a dynamic to have. I just can’t wait until we grow as we continue  winning and it’ll be even more fun.” 

(On the college football conversation in the locker room) “That was the thing, prior to the UCLA [against LSU] game, a lot of people we’re coming at me, but after the game, on Monday, nobody really had anything to say. [Former LSU LB] K’Lavon [Chaisson] actually sits on the other side of me and [former LSU WR] DJ Chark [Jr.] sits on the opposite side, so they owe me some money. We can talk about that, but yeah, UCLA.”

JAGUARS HEAD COACH URBAN MEYER 

(Opening statement) “As I told our staff, there are certain things coaches like to do and some things they can’t stand to do, but either 1-A or 1-B is when you announce your captains. So, we have seven of them, they voted on it. I love the way the NFL does this, they put a “C” on their shirt. We announced it with their families or friends with a nice little video today. Josh Allen, Shaq Griffin, Myles Jack, Rayshawn Jenkins, Marvin Jones, Trevor Lawrence and Brandon Linder. And I know some people do two or three, I’ve always—the players voted on it and there is a little bit of a separation. There are two other guys that were right there, but I always like a lot of captains, I’ve always done that. So, I’ll answer any  questions for you.” 

(On whether he likes that the rookie QB Trevor Lawrence is a captain) “I was impressed that he was up there, I want to say, third in vote gets. So, that’s a credit to him.” 

(On which player received the highest number of votes) “I believe it was Myles Jack.”  

(On whether it’s a tone-setter that he hasn’t lost a season opener since 1993) “Oh sure. Yeah, I think certainly in college, it’s a ‘March Madness.’ It’s just a little different, but you can’t lose a game in college. Professional football, reality is reality. But yeah, heck yeah, this is a tone-setter, this is a setter for everything. But it’s also the first game.” 

(On LB Myles Jack getting the most votes for captain) “He’s been that way since we got here. You know, he’s always had a very good reputation, but he’s exceeded that with us so far. Coach [Charlie] Strong and him are extremely close. We’re seeing a side of him that we’ve pulled out of him, I hope. We always say you have to lead yourself before you lead others. He’s stronger than he’s ever been, his body’s right. So, he’s in a good place.” 

(On whether he misses the college football opening week) “College opening week? To be honest with you, I think a lot of things. Who’s the 48 and who’s the 53? It’s a lot of stuff here. Of course, I love college football, but this is really cool, too.” 

(On whether he misses the college football recruitment process) “No. That transfer portal, no.” 

(On his expectations for special teams) “I’d like to credit Carlos [Polk] and Nick Sorensen. This was a transition we made in the middle of spring. It was hard, it wasn’t very good for a minute, and they worked their tails off. When you take a guy like Rudy Ford who is a guy that, I think he’s the best in the NFL at what he does—and that’s coverage units and then also, he’s a pretty good safety. You take part of your salary cap money and free agency, what we consider to be [one of the] Top 2 or 3 returners in the league. And then we feel really good about our specialists, our long snapper, our punter, our kicker. As far as work ethic, we’re working our tails off to be good at that.”

(On Texans QB Tyrod Taylor being named starting quarterback) “We went back and watched Buffalo. I’ve got a lot of respect for Tyrod [Taylor]. We looked at him when we were looking at a possible quarterback and then they signed him to the Texans. But I’ve always thought he was a heck of a player. I like the guys that can move. He’s a dual-threat guy. In Buffalo, he was outstanding and then he got injured at the Chargers. But I’ve always thought he was a heck of a player.”’ 

(On whether he classifies Texans QB Tyrod Taylor as a dual-threat) “Oh he’s a dual-threat guy. You have to account for that.” 

(On how DT DaVon Hamilton has improved since he got to Jacksonville) “Yeah, when he first got here, he had a meniscus, I believe, in his knee. So, he couldn’t—He’s a strength, I would’ve put him against anybody in the NFL, size and strength. It’s his foot speed, foot quickness, and Tosh [Lupoi] and Joe [Cullen] have worked really hard with him. But ever since he was able to get his knee ready to go, he’s been working on his foot fire and that’s going to separate him from a good player to a great player. He’s really worked at it.” 

(On whether their roster of 53 players is solidified) “I don’t want to mis-answer this. I think it’s done. Once again, I apologize if we make a move, that’s something that’s fluid, but I think we’re set.” 

(On what stands about the Texans offense) “No, Lovie Smith’s history is to let the guys play. The thing, when you hear him talk and you watch him play, they had 10 turnovers in three games and only nine in the entire season last year. So, you see it, there’s been a call-to-arms to protect that ball. I want to say seven of them have been through the quarterback position. So, keep our quarterback upright, keep him protected. But they are not out-scheming, they’ll out-effort you, they’ll out-technique and out-tough you. And that’s kind of who Lovie Smith is, it’s been his history.” 

(On whether he knows Texans Head Coach David Culley) “I don’t know him. I’ve got a big game coming up. I do not know him. Obviously, I’ve got great respect for him, and everybody who’s worked with him or worked for him has great things to say about him.” 

(On whether he relies on Defensive Coordinator Joe Cullen since he knows Texans Coach David Culley well) “Oh yeah, Joe and the defensive staff.” 

(On what he’s told the players about getting ahead in the AFC South division this year) “We’re not there yet. We will as it gets closer to game time. Now, it’s all about the most prepared team will win. And Wednesday and Thursday is all about preparation and then we’ll get to that stuff later in the week.”

JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed DE/OLB Aaron Patrick to the practice squad, the team announced today. Additionally, the club released K Kaare Vedvik from the practice squad.