3 major observations from Doug Pederson's first presser in Jaguars training camp
• Maybe K'Lavon Chaisson isn't on shaky grounds
• Miller Electric Center is a game changer
The Jacksonville Jaguars have officially opened training camp and they've done so at the recently-inaugurated Miller Electric Center. While it might take the Jags a big of time to get used to practicing at their brand new state-of-the-art facility, there are many things that are carrying over from last year.
As expected, Trevor Lawrence is taking the reins in his third NFL season. Joined by Calvin Ridley, the pair are working on their rapport and timing. But Lawrence isn't the only player returning from 2022. Most of the starters on both offense and defense are also back. This should allow Jacksonville to build on from last year's success and they seem to be off to a good start.
Head coach Doug Pederson began the day by meeting with the local media in the early morning. Here are three takeaways from the exchange:
No. 3 Jaguars players are taking ownership of the team
Having the right coach in place is key to having sustained success. However, there's only so much Doug Pederson can do and the Jaguars wouldn't have been able to make the playoffs and win the AFC South last year if he hadn't had enough playmakers in place.
In fact, one of the things that led to the turnaround last year was letting players be themselves and allowing them to step into leadership roles. During his exchange with the media, Pederson said he expects more of the same in 2023:
"We saw that toward the end of the year last year", Pederson said. "Players really took it upon themselves to lead the football team and that's a good sign of the leadership that you have in the locker room."
"We're not an old football team but for some of the young players to step up in those roles, and we're going to need more of that this year. It's good as a head coach that you can lean on those guys and they can handle lots of situations for you.
Instead of forcing players to fall in line with the program, Pederson knows players aren't robots and trust them to lead the way. That approach should continue to bear fruit in 2023.