JACKSONVILLE – This was a day for cloud cover. Mostly.
It was also another day for full contact. Most notably, Day 7 of Jaguars 2021 Training Camp Wednesday at the Dream Finders Homes Practice was a day for real, significant competition.
That was clear at the start of practice when it was announced over the loudspeaker that Wednesday's practice – the second consecutive practice of Jaguars '21 camp to be full-contact in pads – was a designated "winner-loser" day.
"I like the challenge," Jaguars defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot said following a two-hour, twenty-minute practice Wednesday in temperatures that reached the high 70s. "It makes practice go by a lot quicker – all that competitive energy going. The adrenaline starts flowing and you can feel it.
"I remember the whistle going. I kind of blacked out and it's the end of practice."
The Jaguars went through extensive competitive work Wednesday, with multiple drills featuring offensive position groups versus defensive position groups. There was extended one-on-one pass rush work, receivers-versus-defensive backs work and tight-end-versus-safeties work. There were also 11-on-11 red zone periods.
Meyer said Thursday the idea is to create as much competition as possible to be fair to players when trimming the roster from 90 players to the 53-player regular-season roster later this month. Meyer said one way to create competition is constant scrimmaging, but that's not realistic considering the need for player health and safety.
Individual winners and losers in multiple drills – including one-on-one pass coverage, pass rush and special teams coverage – were announced throughout practice over the loudspeaker.
After fans attended practice last Thursday through Saturday, Wednesday was the third of three consecutive days closed to fans. The Jaguars will hold the final three open practices of '21 camp Friday-Sunday.
Meyer spoke to the media Wednesday following practice, as did wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. and Smoot. Coverage of those availabilities can be seen on Jaguars Media channels and jaguars.com later Tuesday.
The Jaguars are scheduled to practice Friday at 9:45 a.m. with Thursday being a scheduled off day for players. Meyer said coaches will meet Thursday to discuss roster evaluation – as they do on many player off days throughout camp.
Meyer said after Wednesday's practice he liked the intensity of the day's work, saying it was a step up from Tuesday's first padded practice.
Here's a look at Wednesday's practice:
PLAY OF THE DAY
Even when he's not standing out, rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence draws praise from teammates. "He's electrifying," Shenault said. "I love to have him here. I can't wait to get on the field with him." Lawrence didn't have any one play Wednesday that stood out in the manner of a long Tuesday touchdown pass to wide receiver Marvin Jones – and he was intercepted in a late late-game situation by cornerback Tre Herndon – but Lawrence had a nice mid-practice touchdown pass to wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. Lawrence on the play evaded pressure and found Chark near the sideline, with the fourth-year veteran tiptoeing as he caught a three-yard touchdown pass. Lawrence capped the day with a 45-yard pass to wide receiver Laquon Treadwell that set up another two-minute touchdown.
STANDING OUT
*Cornerback Shaquill Griffin started a mid-practice team drill with a pass breakup on a pass from Lawrence to Chark.
*Chark won consistently in a "winner-loser" wide receiver-defensive back drill, as did Treadwell and wide receiver Collin Johnson. …
*Rookie safety Andre Cisco won consistently in the defensive back-wide receiver work, also winning consistently in special teams work. …
*Veteran linebacker/defensive end Lerentee McCray won consistently in special teams work. …
*Rookie offensive tackle Walker Little looked good in one-on-one pass-rush work early in practice and repeated the performance in a later one-on-one pass rush-drill. He beat second-year defensive end/linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson in three of four repetitions in the later drill. …
*Center Brandon Linder and defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris split repetitions during an intense stretch during one-on-one pass rush. …
*Guard Andrew Norwell won consistently during one-on-one pass rush. …
*Defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale had a standout repetition during pass rush, shedding veteran center Tyler Shatley. …
*Running back Travis Etienne had a nice 25-yard gain on a short pass from quarterback Gardner Minshew II early in practice, then linebacker Damien Wilson had one of the bigger hits of camp on Etienne later in practice. …
*Running back Carlos Hyde had back-to-back strong runs in a late-practice red-zone drill. …
*Cornerback Corey Straughter intercepted quarterback Jake Luton late in practice, and wide receiver Tevin Jones beat Straughter for a touchdown pass on a similar route on a pass from Luton shorty thereafter. …
*Kicker Josh Lambo went 2-for-2 from long range late in practice. …
*Cornerback Sidney Jones IV had a pass breakup late in practice …
NOTABLE
*Defensive tackle Taven Bryan, cornerback CJ Henderson and quarterback C.J. Beathard remained on the COVID-19 list. …
*Rookie linebacker Dylan Moses remained on the active non-football injury list.
*Wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe remained out of practice, and wide receiver Phillip Dorsett II missed practice Wednesday.
