Jaguars training camp: 4 key observations ahead of Day 7

You know the NFL season is close when clubs start to have padded practices, which is precisely what the Jacksonville Jaguars did Sunday.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson told the media that they’re trying to be as smart as possible even though the intensity in practices will ramp up moving forward. On the other hand, the coaching staff now has a chance to better assess their current collection of talent. With this in mind, here are five observations ahead of Day 7 of training camp.

4. The Jaguars kicking woes aren’t over despite the addition of Elliot Fry

Undrafted rookie Andrew Mevis made waves Friday because one of his kicks was so off target, that ended up hitting former NFL head coach Dave Campo, aka a bystander, and Ashlyn Sullivan of the team’s official website. That’s certainly a way to get the spotlight but not a good one.

Not surprisingly, the Jags pulled the plug on Mevis and signed Elliot Fry to compete with Ryan Santaso for the kicker job. In theory, Fry should bring stability at the position but he’s spent time with several clubs over the last three years and hasn’t been able to stick around.

Both Fry and Santoso went 2-of-4 in field goal attempts on Day 6 of training camp, per Mia O’Brien of 1010 XL, which is not what you want from your kicker. O’Brien does point out that Fry nailed a 50-plus yard attempt but the Jaguars’ brass surely wants better production out of their kicker.

It’s possible that either Fry or Santoso will find more consistency down the road. However, the Jags might need to look into the waiver wire for alternatives after teams round out their roster if neither proves to be the answer at kicker.

3. Jaguars TE Evan Engram has struggled with drops in training camp

Training camp isn’t indicative of a player’s performance in the regular season. Having said that, it’s not great news to hear that Evan Engram has struggled with drops over the last few days.

Doug Pederson told the media Sunday that he’s pleased with Engram’s performance and added that it’s better for him to have drops now than in the regular season. The Jaguars head coach has a point. It isn’t time to hit the panic button just yet but the former Ole Miss Rebel has a lengthy history of not being able to come down with the ball.

A first-round pick by the New York Giants in 2017, Engram had a concerning 11 drops in his rookie campaign and while he hasn’t logged as many in any of the last four seasons, he needs to work on becoming a more dependable target. To his credit, he was catching balls after practice Saturday, so this might turn out to be a non-issue in the regular season.

Engram signed a one-year deal worth $9 million in free agency, so it’s fair to say that he will have a big role in the Jaguars’ offense this upcoming season. He doesn’t have to be perfect but he needs to cut down the number of drops and become a reliable target.

The last thing Jacksonville wants is Engram not being able to come down with a clutch catch with the game in the line in the regular season. Again, Pederson might not be worried right now but this will be something worth monitoring in the upcoming weeks.

2. LuJuan Winningham might have a chance to make the Jaguars roster

The Jaguars didn’t draft a wide receiver this year but they signed Kevin Austin Jr. and LuJuan Winningham not long after. The former was one of the most prominent undrafted free agents Jacksonville added this year but the latter has been the one making the most noise over the last couple of months.

Winningham hauled in 53 receptions for 840 yards and five touchdowns for Central Arkansas last season. The Texas native has made the most of his opportunities and might have a realistic shot to make the Jags’ 53-man roster. Although he has a steep hill to climb, he made a positive impression in minicamp and his performance has carried over into training camp.

Jordan de Lugo of Generation Jaguar dubbed Winningham one of the stars on the first day of padded practices. The rookie wide receiver got the spotlight the day before for how vocal he was, showing he isn’t lacking confidence and isn’t overwhelmed in his transition to the NFL.

Still, Winningham might have a hard time making the team due to how stacked the Jaguar’s wide receiver corps is. However, he’s making a strong case and if he ends up getting cut before the start of the season, which might be the most likely scenario, the front office had better prioritize signing him to the practice squad, and let him develop.

1. Jaguars OLB Travon Walker makes an early positive impression

Travon Walker is close to making his NFL debut and the Jaguars’ brass is surely pleased with his progress so far. The former Georgia Bulldog stood out in minicamp but he nor any other player was wearing pads. It wasn’t going to be until training camp that the coaching staff was going to be able to assess him better. Well, that day come and he didn’t disappoint.

On the first day of padded practice, Walker lined up inside and batted a pass. That’s the kind of impact you want from the No. 1 pick in the draft. Granted, it’s just one play and he will need to cause that kind of disruption on a consistent basis. However, it’s a good start, one that should help him build confidence.

Walker still has a long way to go before he proves the Jaguars made the right decision when they drafted him first overall in the spring but he’s up to a good start. Keep in mind that he’s making the transition to full-time outside linebacker, so he will probably have a few rough days.

The best course of action until the start of the season might be not too hyped when Walker has a good day and not down when he struggles. Otherwise, you’re going to find yourself in a “temporal causality loop” like this writer. But for the time being, the Jaguars’ coaching staff is currently pleased with the early returns on their investment.