JACKSONVILLE – The real stuff is fast approaching.
And with the Jaguars holding the last padded practices before the real stuff gets really real, veteran defensive end Travon Walker likes the status of the defense. The work continues because work never ends, but progress is being made.
"We're just continually elevating," he said.
Walker spoke to the media following a two-hour, padded joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tuesday on Day 19 2026 Jaguars Training Camp at the Miller Electric Center. Head Coach Liam Coen spoke shortly before Walker, discussing the defense as the regular season approaches.
"When we're tied together, when the rush and the coverage is tied in, we can be a good defense," Coen said.
Walker had a strong day Tuesday, with defensive end Josh Hines-Allen also registering one of his strongest days of '26 camp to date and recording multiple would-be sacks with a strip sack. The Jaguars previously held joint practices with the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers and will practice against the Buccaneers Wednesday before the teams play in the preseason finale at EverBank Stadium Friday.
"We're in a great position as far as coming out of our third joint practice, progressing from where we were the week before and days before, but it's still a lot of room to improve," Walker said, adding that Hines-Allen had "a hell of a day" Tuesday.
"That's typical," Walker said of Hines-Allen. "He's one of those. You know he's going to come into practice ready to work every day, and he just continuously keeps growing and keeps working on his craft every day, and it showed today."
Safety Antonio Johnson and cornerback Montaric Brown also registered interceptions Tuesday after Coen said last week the defense needed to force more takeaways.
"It was great to see us get our hands on a few, because we haven't had a ton of ball disruption – as much as we would like to maybe have," Coen said. "That's the yin and yang. You play a little more match coverage, your eyes are on the receiver and not the quarterback.
"That's always the balance. Do we want to get more sacks and ball protection in terms of challenging routes? Or do we want to sit in vision zone and you're going to get picked apart, but you're going to get some turnovers. That's something we've been working through."
Added Walker of the secondary, "When we're on point, that's going to help them out, and when they're on point, it's going to help us out. So, everybody doing their one of 11, that's going to play a big role in helping each other, being able to play off each other.
"If they're covering on the back end, we can get home in the front, keep the quarterback from getting it out quick. And if we get home, that keeps them from having to cover so long. So, it works hand in hand."
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield called the practice "a little eye-opening."
"They gave us some good looks and were playing with their hair on fire," Mayfield said after practice Tuesday. "If this was a full game, I don't think we would have come out on the winning side."
Walker and most of the Jaguars' starters did not play in the first two preseason games against the Saints and the Panthers, with few – if any – starters expected to play Friday. Starters have participated heavily in the joint practices, with Coen and the Jaguars using the preseason games for development and evaluation.
"I'm just looking forward to the guys coming out playing free, physical, whooping the man in front of them, and just taking the thinking out of the game and going out there and playing," Walker said. "We know everybody's not going to make this roster, but I want the guys, a lot of the younger guys, to go out there and put some great things on tape because it's 31 other teams out there that they're interviewing for, and I wish all of them the best.
"I definitely want to see the physicality on the defensive side of the ball, and I know I'm going to see that."
NOTABLE
Coen is ensuring preseason is about opportunities for assistant coaches. Coen on Tuesday said he will call offensive plays in the first half Friday, with quarterbacks coach Spencer Whipple calling them in the third quarter and offensive pass-game specialist John Van Dam calling them in the fourth quarter. Offensive coordinator Grant Udinski called plays in Preseason Weeks 1 and 2, with Coen calling them during the regular season. Coen said multiple assistants will call the defense at various times Friday, including linebackers coach Tem Lukabu and defensive pass-game coordinator Mathieu Araujo. "A couple of guys are going to be able to get turns," Coen said. "We'll be able to get a lot of guys some reps."
