Dawuane Smoot enjoying Timmy Jernigan’s infectious energy so far

Timmy Jernigan is already impacting his teammates despite being with the Jags for just over a week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost a lot this offseason, however, many would argue the biggest loss was that of Calais Campbell, who was a superb leader. Of course, when he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens, the Jags’ defense was put in a position where there was the uncertainty of who would replace his presence, especially in the locker room.

Now, with under three weeks left before the season, many players have stepped up to the plate for the defensive line like Josh Allen, Abry Jones, and Dawuane Smoot, all of whom were on the roster last year. Additionally, despite being on the team for just under 10 days, Timmy Jernigan has also made his presence felt as a leader, bringing an infectious energy to the team.

In his recent meeting with the media, Smoot discussed how Jernigan pushed him through Tuesday’s practice, which came after the Jags had a maintenance day on Monday.

“He’s a dog. He’s out there with all the energy and he brings it. Like today, I was down. We just came off a little vet day or whatever we just had, but like I was down, and he just came out there like, ‘What? What?’,” said Smoot.

“He was out there singing and everything. He really got my hyped up and I ended up having a good practice right off his shoulders. Hey man, I love him. He’s definitely somebody I want on the team for a long time.”

Sounds like the type of guy every workplace could use, right?

Smoot’s praise towards Jernigan isn’t shocking because many raved about his energy while with the Philadelphia Eagles. While there, he was able to win a Super Bowl ring, which is even better for the Jags because it means they not only got an energetic leader but one who has championship experience.

If I had to guess, Jernigan’s energy is a result of being able to return to the football field after going through the offseason unsigned. Additionally, he’s basically playing for his hometown team as a Lake City, Fla. native, something he expressed his happiness about in his first presser.

While many have concerns for Jernigan’s availability when looking at how many games he’s missed in the past couple of seasons (19), he does offer a high reward when healthy. If his luck can change this year, the Jags could very well have another free-agent gem on their hands, which is something they’ve had success with under general manager Dave Caldwell.