4 key observations from OC Press Taylor presser on Day 2 of Jaguars training camp

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a highly efficient offense in 2022, which is more impressive when you take into account that they ranked dead last in points scored the year prior. While there are many reasons for the Jags' offensive surge, Press Taylor's can't be overlooked.

Last year marked the first time Taylor was a coordinator and all things considered, he did a pretty good job. However, he knows there's still plenty of work to be done. Jacksonville was 31st in pass-blocking win rate in 2022, according to ESPN Analytics, so there's clearly room for improvement. To get the point across, Taylor wore a jacket with the less-than-amusing stat printed on it on Day 2 of training camp.

Taylor also met with the local media, and here are four takeaways from the exchange.

No. 4 Continuity on offense will lead to more efficiency for the Jaguars in 2023

Most of the Jaguars' 2022 starting offense is returning next season, so there's a reason to believe they should be able to pick up where they left off last year. During his exchange with the media, Taylor talked about how the carryover has helped the team in their preparation.

I think the biggest thing is the comfort level; we're able to go so much faster in our installs", Taylor said. "We crammed a lot of plays into an hour-and-a-half meeting. We're rolling really fast. We don't show as much video because we know the guys have seen it, they're accessing it, where we can get a little bit more in a little quicker, as we go. You go into a training camp situation where we're just running plays, we're not scheming our defense, they're not scheming us".

"We're just putting in place and running them, and maybe the quarterbacks get their progressions a little bit quicker, guys adjust to things a little quicker just because they've been through it. We've been through this install essentially six times through most of this and then obviously we have our additions that we belong".

Also helping the Jaguars is that most of his offensive staff from last year also returned, with the exceptions of wide receivers coach Chris Jackson and passing game coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, whose vacancies were filled by Chad Hall and Nick Holz, respectively.

That continuity will give Jacksonville the opportunity to be even better than they were last year.

No. 3 Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley can backup up his words

You have to have confidence to succeed in the NFL but some players overestimate their abilities or boast even though they might not be nearly as good as they think. That said, you should definitely talk if you can back it up like wide receiver Calvin Ridley has done since joining the Jaguars.

Following his reinstatement from a suspension, Ridley had an exchange with the media and made it clear he wanted to prove his skeptics wrong and emphasized that he wanted to return to greatness. While that could come across as bravado, the Alabama product has put in the work to back up his assertions.

Press Taylor said in his media availability session that he had seen Ridley on tape but hadn't met him as a person and one thing that stood out to him was how serious he's about his craft.

"I was very familiar with his tape, we played Atlanta a couple times", Taylor said. "We'd seen him play and have my perception of what I thought he was and then you start to watch it and you really try to hone in on this is what he's done really well. Here are some things that maybe we do that you don't see on his tape but you think the skillset translates to that would be fun to try. And now's the time where you're getting to dig into these things".

"Now, what I didn't know was him as a person. He's very serious about his craft. He's in walkthrough, he's grabbing Chad Hall all the time. They're sitting over there going through the install. He's at a different point in his learning of our system than Zay or Christian are, so he's hungry. It's a lot fun. It adds a little spice to the room of this guy that wants to prove to everybody what he's gone through, where he is, and what type of player he is", Tayor said.

The Jaguars acquired Ridley from the Atlanta Falcons last year despite the fact that he was serving the aforementioned suspension. So far, it looks like he's been the game-changer they thought he was when they pulled off the trade.

No. 2 Trevor Lawrence is taking reins of the Jaguars offense

Trevor Lawrence got to a disappointing start to his NFL career due to Urban Meyer not knowing what he was doing when he became the head coach of the Jaguars. But once Doug Pederson took over, Lawrence started to flourish.

Lawrence's improvement wasn't sudden though. He showed growth early in the 2022 season but also made costly mistakes. However, a switch flipped following the loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 8, and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft played like a top 10 the rest of the way.

Heading into Year 3, Taylor says that Lawrence has taken control of the offense:

"I think it's his offense, the power and the empowerment that he feels too," Taylor said. "Yesterday Day 1, we had a play on, they played different coverage, he checks it to a different play. He would not have done that at this point last year. And part of it's knowing what we like for certain looks, what he likes, what he can get to, what the guy outside can handle, as he does certain things."

"So just as that next step where that was how the offense took off the second half of the year last year was we didn't have a perfect play on and he got us to a better play. We had a bad play on, he got us to the right play or got out of a bad play, whatever that might be. Understanding what we're trying to do and trusting the guys around him that they can handle on as well",

Taylor goes on to say that having a veteran running the scheme allows the team to evolve and maximize Lawrence's talent.

No. 1 The Jaguars young TEs made the most of Evan Engram's absence in the offseason

It took the Jaguars and Evan Engram more than probably expected but they struck a long-term contract before the July 17 deadline. Had they not been able to get a deal done, the star tight end would've played the 2023 season under the franchise tag, which he received in March to prevent him from leaving in free agency.

During his contract impasse with the Jags, Engram didn't attend offseason workouts. He didn't need to report since he hadn't signed his franchise tender and wasn't under contract. However, he's now joined the team.

While the Jaguars' brass would have certainly liked Engram to partake in offseason practices, his absence allowed their young tight ends to get reps and practice with Trevor Lawrence. Press Taylor talked about it during his exchange with the media on Day 2 of training camp. Specifically, Taylor said third-year tight end Luke Farrell has a chance to step into a bigger role and Brenton Strange benefited from the extra reps he got.

"It was huge that he wasn't here", Taylor said in regard to Engram's absence. "Farrell has a huge opportunity to step into a role here. Gerrit Prince had an opportunity. Brenton Strange probably gets more reps immediately than he would've, had Evan been here. So for those guys, it was invaluable for them to get that opportunity to get that experience with Trevor, to get that experience in our system, in meetings, whatever it may be."

"And for us, to know you add Evan into that mix, and you get a chance to see the way Evan has done things as opposed to just watching him on tape. That was huge for the growth of the group. There's going to be an ongoing battle throughout to see how that room shakes out who steps into what opportunities but I think the spring was very beneficial for this group," Taylor said.

Evan Engram is firmly entrenched as the starter at tight end. However, Farrell, along with Strange, Gerrit Prince, and Sammis Reyes will vie for Nos. 2 and 3 on the depth chart next season.

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