JACKSONVILLE – This was the beginning – and for the beginning, it was good.

The Jaguars opened their first training camp under first-year head coach Liam Coen early Wednesday morning. It was comparatively cool, comparatively short – and at the same time, comparatively intense.

And overall, Coen was comparatively pleased.

"Pretty solid," Coen called Day 1.

Coen spoke to the media Wednesday morning following a 90-minute Day 1 practice in temperatures in the low 80s at the Miller Electric Center. The practice featured shorts and helmets – with camp's first padded practice scheduled for Monday.

Wednesday's work, while short and cool, was spirited and featured two 11-on-11 and two seven-on-seven periods – with the offense running effectively at times and with quarterback Trevor Lawrence showing quality timing with receivers such as second-year veteran Brian Thomas Jr., rookie Travis Hunter and veteran free-agent acquisition Dyami Brown.

"It's better than the spring – I think for everyone," said Lawrence, who spent the '25 offseason program learning the details of his third offensive system in five NFL seasons. "I speak for myself, but I assume the offense feels very similarly.

"It just feels good to know the system and to hear the calls and to go play and to not think as much. It feels more like second nature."

Coen called Day 1 about "fundamental football."

"What we were looking for was alignment, assignments," he said. "It was just, 'Hey, let's go get our cleats in the ground. I thought overall, semi-clean. Had a couple procedures, but it wasn't egregious. It was back and forth, which is kind of what you're expecting and hoping for in Practice One."

Coen, who said Wednesday he expects to focus on physicality once padded practices begin next week, said he was pleased with players' physical condition upon reporting.

"The conditioning test for players is playing the game," Coen said. "Ultimately, I'm pleased with the way they came in; we're going to have to get in football shape still. That's the reality. They can get in conditioning shape all they want, but football shape is a completely different thing.

"It will probably take a couple of days for us to really feel like we're not dying out there while having to think and move and do all those things. I was pleased with them. I think they all worked pretty hard this summer.

Here's a look at Wednesday's practice:

PLAY OF THE DAY

• Wednesday felt intense and focused for Day 1, with Lawrence looking sharp with the first-team offense.
  • Among the highlights: A series in seven-on-seven work when Lawrence threw a nice 12-yard pass to Brown and followed that soon thereafter with a well-timed pass on a comeback route in the middle of the field to Thomas. Thomas turned the reception into a long, catch-and-run gain that could have been a touchdown.

STANDING OUT

• First-year veteran Joshua Cephus combined with backup quarterback Nick Mullens for two standout plays midway through practice. Mullens, who looked sharp throughout practice, threw to Cephus toward the sidelines in a seven-on-seven on drill and Cephus caught the pass in coverage by cornerback Christian Braswell and safety Caleb Ransaw for a 20-yard gain. Mulles threw deep to Cephus shortly thereafter for a 40-yard gain behind veteran defensive back Zechariah McPhearson.
• Wide receiver Parker Washington caught a pass for a 15-yard gain from Mullens in 11-on-11 work early in practice.
• Safety Andrew Wingard defensed a deep pass from Lawrence to Brown in 11-on-11 work.
• Running backs Tank Bigsby, LeQuint Allen Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten all had strong runs.
• Travis Hunter caught passes of 15 and 25 yards from Lawrence.
• Rookie defensive back Aydan White intercepted a long pass down the sideline from Mullens to rookie wide receiver Darius Lassiter.
• Tight end Hunter Long caught a 20-yard pass from quarterback John Wolford down the middle late in practice.
• Wide receiver Cam Camper caught a 25-yard pass wide open over the middle from rookie quarterback Seth Henigan late in practice.

INJURY WATCH

• Second-year defensive tackle Maason Smith and veteran linebacker Dennis Gardeck began camp on the physically unable to perform list. Gardeck, who signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent this past offseason, sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament with the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7 of last season. Smith, a second-round selection by the Jaguars in the 2024 NFL Draft, in the list with an undisclosed injury. Coen said he didn't expect Smith to be out "extremely long" and called the situation "precautionary" in nature. "It's not a major issue," Coen said. "Just tweaked it kind of the week of camp. He had a great off season. He worked his tail off. He was here a ton. He was in great shape. Could he go and play in a game in this week, who knows? But it won't be too long."