Tag: Dewey Wingard

Watch: Jaguars celebrate interception vs Steelers with Terrible Towels

Andrew Wingard snatched a Terrible Towel from an inattentive Steelers fan after his interception Sunday.

A harmless remark by Trevor Lawrence about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Terrible Towel” was blown out of proportion and taken as a sign of disrespect by fans and even Bill Cowher in the lead up to a Week 8 game.

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard actually made sure to disrespect the Towel during a 20-10 win on Sunday. After picking off the Steelers’ Mitchell Trubisky, Wingard snagged a Terrible Towel from an inattentive Pittsburgh fan and charged out on the field to give it some swings. Jaguars pass rusher K’Lavon Chaisson found one too during the defense’s celebration.

Days ahead of the Week 8 matchup, Steelers wide receiver George Pickens said Jacksonville has a “hope defense.” After the game, both Wingard and fellow Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins made it clear they took the comment personally.

So Wingard, a player who’s never lacking for energy and gusto, was more than ready to rub his big play in the face of the Steelers and their fans.

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Andrew Wingard on pass rush concerns: ‘They don’t see what we see’

Andrew Wingard knows fans are concerned about the pass rush. He’s not.

If there’s a pressing concern for the Jacksonville Jaguars heading into the 2023 season, it’s the team’s pass rush.

While the offense promises to be even better than the top 10 unit from 2022, the Jaguars did very little to address their inability to affect opposing quarterbacks. After finishing 26th in the NFL in sacks last year, the team allowed Arden Key to walk in free agency and waited until the fifth round of the draft to add Yasir Abdullah.

Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard isn’t worried about the pass rush, though.

“Fans don’t see what we see,” Wingard told 1010XL after practice earlier this week. “Fans like to talk, they like to speculate, and that’s what you do, people love football. But they’re not in this building every day, they don’t see what we see, they don’t know what we know. We’re confident.”

The Jacksonville pass rush will mostly rely on the duo of Josh Allen and Travon Walker to make significant strides in 2023. Allen recorded 10.5 sacks as a rookie in 2019, but hasn’t been able to reach eight sacks in any season since. Walker finished his first NFL season with 3.5 sacks.

A deeper look at the pressure created by the Jaguars defense last year can provide some reasons for optimism, though. Jacksonville was sixth in the NFL in quarterback hurries (defined as a pressure that forced an early throw or moved the quarterback out of the pocket), and it was first in quarterback knockdowns (defined as a passer hitting the ground after a throw).

That’s a lot of close-but-no-cigar moments that could translate to many more sacks if there’s just a bit more development from the rushers and also just a bit more time bought by the coverage unit.

If Wingard is correct and the pass rush is better than it appears, the Jaguars may have all the pieces in place to make a serious run.

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Jaguars 2023 roster review: S Andrew ‘Dewey’ Wingard

Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard made an unlikely leap to become a fan favorite in his fourth season.

The brunt of the offseason is in the books and training camp is still off on the horizon. Join us in the NFL’s dead zone with a player-by-player review of the Jaguars roster ahead of the 2023 season.

Andrew “Dewey” Wingard didn’t make the best first impression with the Jacksonville Jaguars faithful. Thrust into action as an undrafted rookie and eventually a full-time starter in his third season, the young defensive back struggled as the last line of defense for one of the NFL’s worst teams.

Then Wingard pulled off the unlikely feat of becoming a fan favorite in his fourth season.

In a reserve role behind starters Rayshawn Jenkins and Andre Cisco, Wingard made the most of his limited opportunities. Despite appearing in less than 20 percent of the Jaguars’ defensive snaps in 2022, Wingard had a nose for the football and was a star on special teams.

His emergence as an energetic and passionate personality in the locker room made Wingard a top priority for Jacksonville in the offseason and he was rewarded with a new three-year deal with the team.

Contract (2023): $1.08 million base salary, $1 million prorated signing bonus, $200,000 roster bonus, $250,000 workout bonus, $2.53 million salary cap hit.

Acquired: Jaguars signed Wingard as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2019.

PFF grades:

  • 79.9 (2022)
  • 69.0 (2021)
  • 68.8 (2020)
  • 54.1 (2019)

Statistics:

  • One interception, one forced fumble, 37 tackles (2022)
  • One interception, one sack, 88 tackles (2021)
  • Two interceptions, one fumble recovery, 50 tackles (2020)
  • One forced fumble, one sack, 30 tackles (2019)

Highlight:

Quote: “We try to pride ourselves on being the smartest secondary in the league. When guys get in it takes them a minute to understand that every guy in this league is between 5’10 [and] 6’2, 200 pounds, and runs a 4.4 40. What’s going to separate us? Our mental edge. That’s what we try to work on every day, so it’s cool to see them start to transition to more being locked in on the mental side.” – Wingard

Calvin Ridley (No. 0) Travis Etienne Jr. (No. 1) Rayshawn Jenkins (No. 2) C.J. Beathard (No. 3) Tank Bigsby (No. 4) Andre Cisco (No. 5)
Chris Claybrooks (No. 6) Zay Jones (No. 7) Logan Cooke (No. 9) Parker Washington (No. 11) James McCourt (No. 12) Christian Kirk (No. 13)
Kendric Pryor (No. 14) Tim Jones (No. 15) Trevor Lawrence (No. 16) Evan Engram (No. 17) Nathan Rourke (No. 18) Sammis Reyes (No. 19)
Daniel Thomas (No. 20) Latavious Brini (No. 21) JaMycal Hasty (No. 22) Foyesade Oluokun (No. 23) Snoop Conner (No. 24) D’Ernest Johnson (No. 25)
Antonio Johnson (No. 26) Divaad Wilson (No. 27) Tevaughn Campbell (No. 29) Montaric Brown (No. 30) Darious Williams (No. 31) Tyson Campbell (No. 32)
Devin Lloyd (No. 33) Gregory Junior (No. 34) Ayo Oyelola (No. 35) Christian Braswell (No. 36) Tre Herndon (No. 37) Qadree Ollison (No. 38)
Jamal Agnew (No. 39) Erick Hallett (No. 40) Josh Allen (No. 41) Andrew Wingard (No. 42) Kaleb Hayes (No. 43) Derek Parish (No. 43)
Travon Walker (No. 44) K’Lavon Chaisson (No. 45) Ross Matiscik (No. 46) De’Shaan Dixon (No. 47) Chad Muma (No. 48) Leonard Taylor (No. 49)
Shaquille Quarterman (No. 50) Ventrell Miller (No. 51) DaVon Hamilton (No. 52) Willie Taylor III (No. 53) DJ Coleman (No. 54) Dequan Jackson (No. 55)
Yasir Abdullah (No. 56) Caleb Johnson (No. 57) Raymond Vohasek (No. 59) Darryl Williams (No. 60) Samuel Jackson (No. 62) Coy Cronk (No. 64)
Chandler Brewer (No. 67) Brandon Scherff (No. 68) Tyler Shatley (No. 69) Cole Van Lanen (No. 70) Walker Little (No. 72) Blake Hance (No. 73)
Cam Robinson (No. 74) Cooper Hodges (No. 75) Anton Harrison (No. 76) Josh Wells (No. 77) Ben Bartch (No. 78) Luke Fortner (No. 79)
Kevin Austin Jr. (No. 80) Seth Williams (No. 81) Elijah Cooks (No. 84) Brenton Strange (No. 85) Gerrit Prince (No. 86) Jaray Jenkins (No. 87)
Oliver Martin (No. 88) Luke Farrell (No. 89) Henry Mondeaux (No. 90) Jordan Smith (No. 92) Tyler Lacy (No. 93) Folorunso Fatukasi (No. 94)
Roy Robertson-Harris (No. 95) Adam Gotsis (No. 96) Nick Thurman (No. 97) Michael Dogbe (No. 98) Jeremiah Ledbetter (No. 99) Brandon McManus
Jacob Harris

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Andrew Wingard says he chose Jaguars over ‘a lot of good offers’

Dewey Wingard says he had other options before he chose to return to the Jaguars.

If there’s one thing that has become abundantly obvious about Andrew “Dewey” Wingard over the last year, it’s that he loves being a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Wingard was the mind behind the “It was always the Jags” quip that became the team’s mantra in 2022, and he once told reporters that he’d die for coach Doug Pederson. Now the safety and special teamer is back with the team on a three-year contract.

The new deal for Wingard came about 24 hours before he was set to hit free agency and more than a day after teams were able to start contacting his agent with contract offers. There wasn’t a lack of interest.

In an interview with John Shipley of Jaguar Report, Wingard said a return to Jacksonville was “100 percent” what he hoped would come to fruition.

“I had a lot of good interest, a lot of good offers stuff like that. And eventually, in my heart, I was like, I want to be in Jacksonville, I want to go win games with these guys and build something special. And, like I said, it’s just, it’s such a blessing to be back in Jacksonville. I can’t wait.”

Wingard, 26, joined the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent after the 2019 NFL Draft. In four seasons with the team, Wingard has recorded four interceptions, two sacks, seven tackles for a loss, and two forced fumbles.

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Jaguars keep S Andrew ‘Dewey’ Wingard with new 3-year deal

Dewey is staying in Jacksonville.

A day before Andrew “Dewey” Wingard was set to become a free agent, the Jacksonville Jaguars reached a deal to bring back the backup safety and special teamer, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The new contract is a three-year deal worth $9.6 million, according to Rapoport, that includes another $4.2 million in possible incentives.

Wingard, 26, joined the Jaguars after the 2019 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent and appeared in all 16 games during his rookie season. Eventually he worked his way into a full-time starting role in 2021. Wingard struggled in the role, and was replaced in the lineup in 2022 by Andre Cisco.

But during the 2022 season, Wingard emerged as a fan favorite with a knack for making big plays, despite limited snaps.

While he was on the field for just 19 percent of the Jaguars’ defensive snaps and saw the majority of his time on special teams, Wingard still managed to record an interception and a forced fumble.

His year might best be remembered for his energy, passion, and love for the Jaguars. The team rallied around the phrase “It was always the Jags!” that was coined by Wingard, and the safety was quoted as saying he would die for coach Doug Pederson.

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How ‘It was always the Jags’ became the 2022-23 Jaguars’ rallying cry

It was always the Jags #IWATJ

The Jacksonville Jaguars are set to play their first home playoff game in five years after a five-game winning streak to end the regular season earned the team the AFC South title.

Jaguars fans are — for the first time in a long time — excited, optimistic, and packing TIAA Bank Field.

Along the way, Jaguars players and fans have embraced a simple five-word motto: “It was always the Jags.”

The team has used the hashtag #IWATJ across its social media platforms, and it even filed a trademark application for the phrase earlier this week.

So where did it come from? It’s Jaguars safety Andrew “Dewey” Wingard who deserves the credit.

In early December, the Jaguars’ season was on life support after a 40-14 loss to the Detroit Lions. It was brought back to life with a 36-22 win in Nashville over the then-division-leading Tennessee Titans. As the players walked off the field, Wingard grabbed a camera and yelled the now-famous words.

“To be honest with you, it’s actually a gambling term. You’re with your buddies. You see a lock. Hey boys, ‘it was always this,'” Wingard told First Coast News this week.

Since then, players and fans have run with it.

“That’s just the mindset of this team,” Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence told reporters after a 40-34 win over the Cowboys in December. “No matter what happens you’ve just got to keep playing. … Just battled some adversity, and it was always the Jags, as Dewey would say.”

On Saturday, the Jaguars will play their fifth ever home playoff game and their first ever primetime one at TIAA Bank Field. It was a long road for the team to reach this point, but here it is. It was always the Jags.

Dewey Wingard: Trevor Lawrence deserves success after dealing with Urban Meyer

It’s safe to say Dewey Wingard doesn’t miss Urban Meyer.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is earning a lot of praise after a masterclass performance against the Baltimore Ravens. His teammate Dewey Wingard says the success for the 23-year-old quarterback is well earned after the passer’s nightmarish rookie season.

Lawrence began his career working with coach Urban Meyer, who was fired after a 2-11 start to the 2021 season amid a myriad of scandals and ineptitude on the field. The quarterback finished his rookie year with an NFL-leading 17 interceptions and 12 touchdowns.

“I’m so happy for Trevor because he had to deal with Urban Meyer, and I don’t even know if he had a rookie year,” Wingard said after Lawrence’s three-touchdown performance Sunday, via Action Sports Jax. “And to see the growth he’s made, not just on the field, but his preparation, his demeanor, and all that. … I’m just so happy for him.”

Wingard saw the most significant action of his season so far, playing 34 defensive snaps against the Ravens. He played 16 total defensive snaps in the first 10 games of the season and primarily saw action as a special teamer.

In the fourth quarter, Wingard set up the Jaguars to take the lead when he chopped the ball out of the arms of Ravens running back Gus Edwards, forcing a fumble that was recovered by cornerback Tyson Campbell.

If Wingard’s subtle diss of Urban Meyer in his praise of Lawrence didn’t already make his thoughts on the team’s offseason coaching change abundantly clear, his effusive praise of Pederson after the game hammered the point home.

“The stones on that guy, I would die for Doug Pederson, I swear,” Wingard said. “I would run into battle with Doug Pederson, 100 percent. I love the guy.”

Wingard signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and the team retained his rights during the 2022 offseason by placing a restricted free agent tender on the safety.

5 Jaguars players to watch vs. Chiefs in Week 10

Who do the Jaguars need to step up most Sunday if they hope to upset the Chiefs?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a tall task Sunday if they hope to make it back-to-back wins.

To follow up a Week 9 win against the Las Vegas Raiders with another victory, the Jaguars will have to take down the perennial AFC powerhouse Kansas City Chiefs. For four straight years, the Chiefs have reached the AFC Championship and in two of those years, the team earned a trip to the Super Bowl.

Unsurprisingly, the 6-2 Chiefs are large favorites against the 3-6 Jaguars in Week 10.

If the Jaguars hope to spring the upset, these five players will have to step up in a big way Sunday: