Jacksonville Jaguars Minicamp Should Be Treated With Tempered Optimism
By Luke Sims
Jan 18, 2013; Jacksonville FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars new head coach Gus Bradley (right) shares a laugh with former Jaguars player Jeff Kopp before the start of a press conference at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in the midst of a minicamp that is going to solidify the new coaching staff’s approach to football and begin to mold the team in their images. Everything out of the voluntary camp is that things are progressing well and everything is going smoothly. With no Maurice Jones-Drew holdout looming over everyone’s heads this offseason it is nice to know that the positives won’t be overshadowed by a star player not buying into the new regime.
Here’s some of what sounds good coming out of Jacksonville:
"“Going into my eighth year, I’ve never been a part of anything like this as far as the first day of minicamp. They threw everything at us and we came out with a great attitude and we executed” – TE Marcedes Lewis“It was just what I envisioned. High tempo, guys busting their tail, guys running from drill to drill, the tempo was high and we pushed them just like we had envisioned so I was very pleased with that. This was definitely something to build on.” – Head coach Gus Bradley“This is an opportunity for them to really take control and see who’s going to prepare at a certain level and see who’s going to go out and lead this team and manage it. They both did a great job of that.” – OC Jedd Fisch"
All of this is good, but like all offseasons everything is positive right now. MJD’s holdout was a major negative last offseason but that is the exception more than it is the rule. Teams are 0-0 right now and they have everything open to them. The Jags aren’t hitting players from other rosters, they are the big fish in their own tiny pond right now. I have no doubt that the Jags are getting better, I trust Gus Bradley and co. too much not to, but a few days of good camp doesn’t turn this team into a winner overnight.
Things are going well, but they always do right now. As ESPN AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky notes, “Jaguars fans should also remember that on April 17, 2012, after the first practice under new coach Mike Mularkey, he said: “I was extremely pleased with the focus and really liked the tempo.”
Gus Bradley is leaps and bounds ahead of Mularkey, but let’s keep in mind that over the next month or so we’re going to be hearing mainly positive things no matter what.
– Luke N. Sims
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