Tag: nfl news

Highlights from Day 1 of Jaguars rookie minicamp 2024

Highlights from Day 1 of Jaguars rookie minicamp 2024

Photo: Jacksonville wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.; Credit: Zach Goodall

31 rookies, tryout players and roster members without pension credit took the indoor practice field at the Miller Electric Center for Day 1 of the Jaguars’ 2024 rookie minicamp on Friday.

According to head coach Doug Pederson, the workouts are an ideal opportunity for young players and those vying for a roster spot in Jacksonville to learn concepts and techniques and show the Jacksonville coaching staff some physical and athletic traits without pads or physical competition.

They will also prepare the rookies for offseason workouts to come with the entire team this summer.

“These two days will kind of prepare them for next week. Because once they get in here, obviously, you know, now they’re with an NFL club. Right now they’re just rookies. So, come Monday when everybody starts coming in here and they start seeing all the guys, it makes an impact on them.

“A lot of these guys were starters in college. Now they’re gonna have to take backup roles and they’re going to compete for starting positions. Or at least, compete for that backup spot. It changes just a little bit for them. This weekend though, from the meetings to the on-field stuff is really going to prepare them for the next five weeks from here.”

Find highlights from the first day of Jaguars rookie minicamp below.

Rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr.

All eyes were on Jaguars first-round pick, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., during his first workout with the Jaguars. He displayed good speed and agility in his route-running and made catches at different angles and in different spots look routine during individual drills, where he conducted most of his work.

Veteran WR Jarvis Landry


Another wide receiver who was monitored thoroughly throughout Day 1 of rookie minicamp was no rookie: Nine-year NFL veteran Jarvis Landry is trying out for the Jaguars this weekend, attempting to resurrect his career after missing the 2023 season due to injury.

Landry dropped a couple of passes but appeared to get into a route-running rhythm as the practice moved along. The deeper the route he ran, the faster he seemed to play, and he made some receptions on longer balls in stride.

Special teams


One moment that caught Jaguars Wire’s eye was when rookie special teamers, sixth-round kicker pick Cam Little and fifth-round return specialist selection Keilan Robinson, connected on a practice kickoff on Day 1.

Jacksonville might have selected both players on Day 3 of the draft, but both are likely to start with the Jaguars in 2024 at their respective spots.

Jacksonville also simulated the NFL’s new kickoff format in a drill with a JUGS machine acting as the kickoff specialist, working on pursuit on the coverage team and blocking on the return team.

Rookie OT Javon Foster

Javon Foster is one of two offensive linemen participating in the Jaguars’ rookie minicamp this offseason, alongside undrafted free agent signee Stephen Jones. Watch Foster practice his pass-protection technique in the clip above.

CB Deantre Prince, K Cam Little sign rookie contracts with Jaguars

CB Deantre Prince, K Cam Little sign rookie contracts with Jaguars

Jacksonville announced Friday afternoon that one of its two fifth-round selections and its sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, cornerback Deantre Prince and kicker Cam Little, respectively, have signed their rookie contracts with the Jaguars.

Prince and Little are the first members of Jacksonville’s nine-deep NFL draft class to have officially agreed to their rookie deals.

Prince, 6-foot, 183 pounds, posted 146 tackles with six for loss, six interceptions, 27 passes defended and two forced fumbles over four seasons with Ole Miss, not including his bridge season at Northeast Mississippi Community College in 2020.

“Super good athlete, physical, confident kid on the perimeter. Kind of a quieter guy but really locked in, super high football IQ,” Shrine Bowl director of football operations Eric Galko told Jaguars Wire about Prince, who participated in the prospect all-star game this February. “Uber-talented and tremendous athlete, he ran a 4.3-something I think at the combine, and that certainly shows up on film.

“He can press, get deep and play vertical too. I think if you want to run a little more man, or Cover 3 or Cover 1, he could do that a really high level in the NFL.”

Little, thr youngest kicker ever drafted at 20 years, eight months and 10 days old on draft day, connected on 53-of-64 field goal attempts (82.8%) with a long of 56 yards, set in 2023. He also went a perfect 129-of-129 on extra-point tries.

“We thought he was the best kicker in the draft and we were not alone among NFL teams,” Galko said.

“The leg, I’ve seen him make 65-plus yarders. I think he posted a 70-yarder on Twitter a couple weeks ago. Like, this guy has an absolute cannon. Incredibly accurate under 40 yards, obviously 40-to-50 he’s super accurate too. But like, he’s not going to miss a short kick for [Jacksonville]. He’s been one of the better kickoff kickers in the draft this year and he was one of the best in college football last year, too.”

Josh Allen resets Jaguars’ expectations after mishandled 2023 season

Josh Allen resets Jaguars’ expectations after mishandled 2023 season: “We thought we would just maintain.”

New Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead welcomed his teammate, edge rusher Josh Allen, onto his “Third and Long” podcast Wednesday for over an hour, to discuss Jacksonville’s food scene, Allen’s football upbringing and time with the Jaguars, and among other topics relating to the team, what led to its collapse during the 2023 season.

The latter conversation was prompted by Armstrong asking Allen for his expectations for Jacksonville in 2024, leading the edge rusher to rekindle what was anticipated of the Jaguars last year.

After a run to the AFC Divisional Round in 2022-23, Jacksonville’s first playoff trip since 2017-18, the Jaguars began the 2023 season with an 8-3 record, at one point ripping off five victories in a row, only to finish 9-8 and miss out on postseason action.

“The expectation starts with how we handle our day-to-day. I think it starts there because, you know, for us, after [head coach] Doug’s [Pederson] first year, we set a very high expectation for us … that we thought we would just maintain,” Allen suggested.

“But then we hit a little bit of adversity and we kind of hit a wall. We didn’t know how to get out of that wall.”

The wall was in the form of four consecutive December losses. The impact was similar to that of a ton of bricks.

Allen pointed toward the team’s offseason free agency signings of veterans like Armstead, safety Darnell Savage and center Mitch Morse as examples of the Jaguars’ effort to bolster their roster with players equipped to handle adversity.

Each contributor has multiple seasons’ worth of playoff experience, with Armstead having played in two Super Bowls. Aside from winning it all, they’ve been to and done what the Jaguars aspire to accomplish.

But it will take more than new, yet seasoned faces to get the Jaguars to where they want to be. Some aspects of the approach remain to be determined.

“To be honest with you, brother, these are things that we, as a leadership group, need to still figure out,” Allen acknowledged.

Allen admitted that he was removed from his typical leadership responsibilities last season as he was without team captain status, unlike the three campaigns prior. He notably did not attend Jacksonville’s voluntary offseason team activities last year amid speculation about his contract status.

He’s since signed a five-year, $141.3 million extension with the club, in April. Whether he regains his former captainship role this season or not, Allen intends to be more involved in leading his teammates and having a better sense of their thought process moving forward.

He considers the notion last season to have been overconfidence, that the team mishandled their own expectations, leading to a deficit in confidence in one another.

“In my mind, I just think it was, I don’t know, thinking that we can win every game. We had the talent to compete against any and everybody,” Allen said. “I can’t make an excuse [for] why we lost. But I know that feeling that we went through, and it was very — you know, trust. I think we lost a lot of trust between each other.”

In order to return to postseason play, trust must be rebuilt across the organization, Allen proposed. It goes beyond the players and includes the coaching staff, with several new faces on the defensive side, including coordinator Ryan Nielsen.

“I think that’s one thing that we need to focus on this year, that togetherness. And that’s all phases of the game. First of all, that’s players because we play the game. It’s also coaches and players having trust within the coaches,” Allen stated. “Knowing that we can go to any of these coaches just as a group, honestly, like, ‘Hey, this is where we’re at, can we change this?’ Or can we modify, or can we find a trust and a balance between?

“Obviously, it’s a business and we understand that. But having that balance to go and build that trust within each other, and I do think it starts today. Every phase. Training camp, it’s a huge phase, but we’re battling every day. We’re competing, we’ve got to compete. But you know, I think it’s building that trust.”

Armstead understood where Allen was coming from, noting that the best teams he’s been on in his nine-year NFL career have also been the closest. They’ve had camaraderie and played with a purpose, for each other’s benefit.

He believes his pairing with Allen in Jacksonville will pay dividends in re-energizing the team and, ultimately, get the Jaguars back on track.

“Me and you are going to be a huge catalyst for that heading into this season. That’s something I’m excited about working on and building and getting turned around for us and our team,” Armstead told Allen.

“I’m really excited about this year. Looking at 2024 and this season coming up, obviously, our division is going to be tough. I think teams in the division got better, for sure. But I feel like we got a lot better, too.”

Jaguars, Mayor Donna Deegan to host stadium ‘community huddles’

Jaguars, Mayor Donna Deegan to host stadium ‘community huddles’

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, Jaguars President Mark Lamping and Jacksonville lead negotiator Mike Weinstein will present information about the “Stadium of the Future” deal between the city and the Jaguars to residents at five “community huddle” events in the coming weeks, per Florida Politics.

The city of Jacksonville and the Jaguars agreed to the framework of a deal on renovations to EverBank Stadium earlier this week. Both sides will unveil the contract’s details at the next city council meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, May 14.

“We have reached an agreement on the framework of a deal,” Deegan said in a Wednesday statement. “The negotiating team is currently putting the final details on paper, and we will release that information as soon as it is available.”

The renovation proposal, including shading for every seat, expanded concourses, extra escalators and elevators, and upgraded HVAC, plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems, has previously been projected to cost $1.4 billion, reportedly split unevenly between the Jaguars and the city of Jacksonville.

The Jaguars have also pitched a sports and entertainment district around the Jacksonville Shipyards to accompany renovations, a bill team owner Shad Khan reportedly would primarily handle to even out the total costs of the projects. Construction has begun on a Four Seasons Hotel and Residences on the land.

Jacksonville City Council and 75% of the NFL’s team owners would need to approve the renovation project.

Find the schedule for Jacksonville’s community huddles below.

Mandarin High School

4831 Greenland Rd., Jacksonville, Fla., 32258

May 15, 6-8 p.m. ET

Legends Center

5130 Soutel Dr., Jacksonville, Fla., 32208

May 16, 6-8 p.m. ET

Fletcher High School

700 Seagate Ave., Neptune Beach, Fla., 32266

May 20, 6-8 p.m. ET

Sandalwood High School

2750 John Promenade Blvd., Jacksonville, Fla., 32246

May 29, 6-8 p.m. ET

Westside High School

5530 Firestone Rd., Jacksonville, Fla, 32244

May 30, 6-8 p.m. ET

Report: Chargers met with free agent Bud Dupree

The Chargers hosted the veteran pass rusher on a visit.

Free agent outside linebacker Bud Dupree concluded a visit with the Chargers, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Dupree has also reportedly spoken to the Falcons and Steelers about potential returns.

Dupree isn’t the double-digit sack artist he was at his peak in 2019, but he’s still a solid contributor as a pass rusher. Over the last two seasons with Atlanta and Tennessee, he’s accumulated 60 pressures and 12 sacks.

Considering the Chargers didn’t draft or sign an edge defender so far this offseason, Dupree would be a natural fit to compete for the last roster spot. Currently, Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, and Tuli Tuipulotu should be considered roster locks. Outside of that, it’s not difficult to see Dupree or a pass rusher signing pushing Chris Rumph’s spot as the fourth edge defender.

Whether with L.A. or another team, Dupree will probably go wherever he has the biggest role and the opportunity to realize potential production-related incentives tied to his contract. With the Chargers’ top-three rotation, that production could likely be elsewhere. But if they can convince him to take the EDGE4 role at the going rate, it would be a steal in terms of value.

After signing D.J. Chark earlier this week, the Chargers have two open spots for a 90-man roster count. They also reportedly met with Marquez Valdes-Scantling on Monday. With OTAs less than two weeks away, it’s possible that those spots are filled sooner rather than later.

Legendary former Jaguars DL planning Jacksonville restaurant

Legendary former Jaguars DL Marcus Stroud planning Jacksonville restaurant

“Big Baby” is back with breakfast, brunch and brinner.

According to the Jax Daily Record, legendary former Jaguars defensive lineman Marcus Stroud has been recommended an incentive from a Downtown Investment Authority committee to open an all-day restaurant, Baby Got Brunch, in Jacksonville.

The seven-year Jaguar from 2001-07 owns the single-story, 5,000-square-foot structure at 610 N. Julia St. downtown, operating in the Residences at City Place condominium building at 311 W. Ashley St, per the DIA staff report.

Stroud bought the space in 2022 for $295,000, according to the Daily Record. It’s in the area of the proposed “Pearl Street District” development project. A $96,620 Retail Enhancement Program grant was recommended by the DIA committee by a 3-0 vote.

The proposed restaurant will carry his nickname, which he received in college and maintained in the pros. A proposed menu included breakfast dishes including multiple waffle specials, burgers, salads, cocktails and mimosas.

“I’m a big fella with a handsome, baby face. That’s how I take it,” Stroud said, per the Daily Record.

Stroud intends to restore the establishment and open the restaurant at a projected cost of $763,485, not accounting for necessities such as furniture and equipment.

The news of Stroud’s restaurant being approved comes in the wake of an agreement on the framework of a deal for renovations to EverBank Stadium, proposed by the Jaguars and negotiated with Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and her executive team.

The Jaguars have also pitched a sports and entertainment district around the stadium to accompany the renovations.

“Downtown is renovating, Jacksonville is up and coming and plus I have a tie to the community from playing football here,” said Stroud.

The Jaguars made Stroud their first-round selection in the 2001 NFL draft. He operated alongside 2002 first-round pick, John Henderson, to form one of the fiercest defensive lines in the league during the 2000s.

Stroud compiled 279 tackles including 43 for loss, 22 sacks, six forced fumbles and 23 defended passes over 100 games with Jacksonville, en route to three Pro Bowl nods and two All-Pro Second-Team appearances, before finishing his career in Buffalo via trade.

Stroud recently relocated his family to Jacksonville from Atlanta, he told the Daily Record.

Insider expects Jaguars to ‘consider’ veteran free agent cornerbacks

Insider expects Jaguars to ‘consider’ veteran free agent cornerbacks

With ample effective salary cap space available following free agency and the NFL draft — $30,866,651, third-most in the league — Jacksonville can continue to upgrade positions on its roster ahead of the 2024 campaign if it chooses to.

Despite their selection of two cornerbacks in the draft, third-rounder Jarrian Jones and fifth-rounder Deantre Prince, that spot arguably could benefit from more help.

Behind starters Tyson Campbell and Ronald Darby, Jacksonville’s cornerback group has combined for 54 career starts. However, 36 belong to fifth-year corner Amani Oruwariye, who spent most of the 2023 season on the Jaguars’ practice squad and did not appear in a game.

That leaves the other seasoned contributors with an average of 3.6 career starts. The five non-Oruwariye reserves combined for 570 defensive snaps over 26 appearances and six starts, each by Montaric Brown, in 2023, averaging out to fewer than 100 snaps per player.

Asked by “Gavin from Halifax, NS, Canada,” about Jacksonville possibly adding a veteran to the room, with an eye on proven depth in the event of injuries, Jaguars senior writer John Oehser shared his belief that the team will look into it in his daily question-and-answer column on Thursday.

“I expect the Jaguars will consider this option,” Oehser wrote. “Rookie minicamp begins Friday. Organized team activities begin May 20. If the Jaguars believe in late May that there are positions that should be addressed, I expect signing free agents at those positions will be strongly considered.”

Gavin highlighted current free agent cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson, Xavien Howard (whose March release from Miami included a post-June 1 designation), Stephon Gilmore and Patrick Peterson as candidates for a spot on Jacksonville’s roster. Each player was on the field for at least 65% of their most recent team’s defensive snaps in 2023.

Additionally, Jerry Jacobs, Steven Nelson, Ahkello Witherspoon and Fabian Moreau remain on the cornerback free agent market. Each met the same playing time threshold in 2023 as the cornerbacks that Gavin mentioned.

Of note, Jacobs reportedly met with the Jaguars following the draft. He left Jacksonville without signing with the team.

Report: Former Jaguars WR Zay Jones visiting Chiefs

Report: Former Jaguars WR Zay Jones visiting Chiefs

Make it four visits in as many days, as former Jacksonville wide receiver Zay Jones is traveling to Kansas City to meet with the Chiefs on Thursday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

The Jaguars released Jones last Wednesday, May 1. He began visiting teams as a free agent this week, meeting with Tennessee on Monday, Arizona on Tuesday and Dallas on Wednesday.

Jones signed with the Jaguars in 2022 and spent two seasons with the team, saving Jacksonville almost $4.2 million in salary cap space.

Jones posted 116 receptions, 1,144 yards and seven touchdowns over 22 starts and 25 appearances with Jacksonville, raising his seven-year statistical totals to 287 receptions for 3,028 yards and 18 touchdowns.

“Beyond grateful for every memory, truly. Every teammate, every coach, every staff member, every fan I’ve encountered or felt inspired by,” Jones said via social media last Wednesday after his release from the Jaguars.

“The support of a strong community does so much for us athletes. Thank you more, Duval and Jags fans overseas.”

The Chiefs entered the offseason with a need at wide receiver, leading to their signing of free agent Marquise Brown and trade-up selection of Xavier Worthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Kansas City’s leading wide receiver from the 2023 campaign, Rashee Rice, is facing eight criminal charges for his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run car crash that occurred in Dallas, Texas in March. Rice has reportedly cooperated with law enforcement and accepted responsibility for the accident.

NFL executive heaps praise on Chargers’ Day 3 selections

An NFL executive feels like Joe Hortiz had an all-around great draft.

The Chargers were lauded for their draft selections in the first two days, but their Day 3 selections were just as deserving of praise.

An NFL executive, per The Athletic’s Mike Sando, said that Los Angeles used to draft well in the first round and would then reach in the middle to late rounds, but that didn’t seem to be the case in Joe Hortiz’s first draft.

“Time will tell, but I think (Tarheeb) Still is going to be a good nickel, Cam Hart has a chance to start and the running back (Kimani Vidal) has a chance to be a three-down starter,” the executive said.

At the time of the selection, Still was a head-scratching pick for many fans based on the unfamiliarity. But he is a confident ball magnet, having posted six interceptions last season. He should push for a starting job early on.

Hart was seen as a top-100 pick but took a slide due to injury concerns and limited ball production. Nonetheless, he has elite traits at 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds and has proven to shut down good competition, including Marvin Harrison Jr.

Vidal is a great and productive player with the explosiveness, vision, contact balance, lateral agility, and passing game impact to contribute early on in his pro career.

Jaguars, Jacksonville to announce stadium renovation deal Tuesday

Jaguars, Jacksonville to announce stadium renovation deal Tuesday

Jacksonville City Council president Ron Salem announced Wednesday that the Jaguars and Mayor Donna Deegan have reached an agreement on a deal for renovations to EverBank Stadium.

In a statement, Deegan confirmed that the contract’s framework is in place with the fine print still being written by the city’s negotiating team. The deal is expected to be unveiled at the next City Council meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, May 14.

“The mayor reached out to me late yesterday afternoon to inform me that the executive branch and the Jaguars have reached an agreement on the stadium renovation,” Salem said on Wednesday, per the Florida Times-Union. “I do not know the specifics of this particular deal but look forward to engaging the council during the month of June as we move forward to review it.”

“We have reached an agreement on the framework of a deal,” Deegan added. “The negotiating team is currently putting the final details on paper, and we will release that information as soon as it is available.”

News 4 Jax reported Tuesday that a deal was “imminent.”

The renovation proposal, including shading for every seat; expanded concourses, extra escalators and elevators, and upgraded HVAC, plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems, has previously been projected to cost $1.4 billion, reportedly split unevenly between the Jaguars and the city of Jacksonville.

The Jaguars have also pitched a sports and entertainment district around the Jacksonville Shipyards to accompany renovations, a bill team owner Shad Khan reportedly would primarily handle to even out the total costs of the projects. Construction has begun on a Four Seasons Hotel and Residences on the land.

Independently, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced an additional $75 million in state funding for a University of Florida graduate campus in Jacksonville on Wednesday. While the location is not yet determined, the Jaguars are reportedly willing to pair the campus with the district.

According to the Times-Union, discussions have involved potential locations for the Jaguars to play home games during either the 2026-27 seasons or the 2027 season alone while renovations are conducted. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville and Camping World Stadium in Orlando are among the venues that have been considered.