Tashaun Gipson's latest comments show why the Jaguars wanted him back

Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars will be without safety Andrew Wingard to start the regular season, they weren't precisely hurting for help at the position. That's why it was a bit puzzling to see them bring back Tashaun Gipson, who was a key cog of the 2017 AFC Championship team. Days following his return, the grizzled veteran spoke to the local media and showed why the Jags wanted him back.

Gipson met with the local media ahead of Week 2 of the NFL Preseason and said that he didn't first recognize the city but has been getting a warm welcome from his teammates, something he calls humbling.

"Just the energy around here, man, the guys have welcomed me. I think that a lot of these guys, I'm old enough to be some of these guys, dads, some of these guys," Gipson said in his introductory press conference. "I remember a guy was just like, 'I used to watch you in seventh grade,' and I was just like, man, don't tell me that no more. 'Man, I was in the sixth grade when you came in the league.' It's humbling, the respect that the guys have given me since I stepped foot in this locker room.

"Obviously, just being any sort of assistant to these guys, we got a lot of great young players, man, so I'm excited to just be able to give those guys what I got, physically and mentally for sure," Gipson said.

An undrafted free agent in 2012, Gipson spent his first four NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He then played for the Jags from 2016-2018 and was let go in a cap-saving move in 2019. He joined the Houston Texans that year.

The San Bernardino, California native signed with the Chicago Bears in 2020 and spent the last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. Here's the veteran's full exchange with the media.

New Jaguars safety Tashaun Gipson is thrilled to reunite with Arik Armstead

In Jacksonville, Gipson reunited with defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who signed a three-year deal worth $43.5 million in free agency. He says that it's great to be back with "Double-A."

"I love Double-A, man. He was kind of like that guy who, like everybody, was one of the guys that when I first got to San Francisco, he welcomed me. Just one of those guys that sit at the locker room, break bread with you and just kind of get to know you as a player, as a person. And that's two years ago in San Francisco."

Gipson continued." To be able to be here with him now. First thing I did when I saw him, gave him hug, man. And we wrapped a little bit, we talked. I got nothing but the ultimate respect for him. Jacksonville got a great one with him. I'm excited to be back with a guy like that. Not only is he a great player but a great teammate and an even better leader."

Tashaun Gipson gives the Jaguars options during Andrew Wingard's absence

Andrew Wingard suffered a knee injury in training camp that will sideline him out for several weeks. Head coach Doug Pederson didn't originally provide an update, limiting himself to saying that Dewey would miss significant time. More recently, he said he won't be available for several weeks.

But as meaningful as Wingard's injury is, he's the No. 3 safety behind Andre Cisco and sophomore Antonio Johnson. On top of that, Daniel Thomas, Adrian Amos, and undrafted free agent Josh Proctor are ready to step in. Add the fact that Gipson's set to miss six games while he serves a suspension for violations of the Performance-Enhancing Drugs, and his signing came in as a surprise.

Regarding his suspension, Gipson told the local beat it's uncharted territory for him.

"I've been thinking about it ever since it came out, just want to know what it'd be like watching football from the house in the fall," Gipson said when asked about the suspension and how he plans to approach it. "I had a scare in 2022. I got signed a couple of days before the last preseason game. That was probably the closest I've had to this. But besides that, unfamiliar territory for me."

"But obviously, I'm grateful for the opportunity. "I'm grateful that they had enough respect for me as a man, as a player, as a person, to bring me in here and give me an opportunity. Like I said, nothing but love for the city, the organization, from the bottom of my heart. We just gonna approach this thing. Right now, we in the building, so I'm just gonna try to be a resource and try to pick these guys' brain and kind of go from there."

Doug Pederson met with the local media after the win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the preseason opener and told the media that the team signed Gipson even though he would be serving the suspension because they wanted to have options.

Based on Gipson's comments, he's aware that he won't be able to contribute right off the bat, but he'll do the best he can to be an asset off the field while he serves his suspension. That explains why the Jaguars felt prompted to bring him back.

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