Jaguars Insider Podcast: Impact of Star DB's Eventual Return

How will the eventual return of Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell elevate a struggling defense?

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell (32) looks on during the seventh day of an NFL football training camp practice Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell had his 21-day practice window opened on Wednesday, and the Jacksonville Jaguars Insider Podcast is here to explain why the move matters.

To listen to today's episode, view above.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson also spoke on Monday. Below is a transcript.

Q: On if their travel plans to London will be affected by Hurricane Milton?

Pederson: “No, we’re still right now, still on schedule to leave Thursday night or Thursday afternoon, evening whatever it is, 5:30, I think. We're going to monitor it and where it hits and how it comes this way, but as of right now, everything's still normal.”

Q: On TE Evan Engram’s injury status?

Pederson: “Good. I think he was really close last week. He got himself back into practice a little bit. I would anticipate him doing more this week and seeing where he's at at the end of the week, but I think the chances of him getting back in here this week are pretty good.”

Q: On if the team’s overall health is better entering the next stretch of the season? Pederson: “Well, probably yes and no. Duvernay [WR Devin Duvernay] is going to be one now that is going to show up on the injury report from yesterday. We're going to see where he's at. It's another lower body. Etienne [RB Travis Etienne Jr.] should be fine coming out of the game. I think these next couple of weeks though are big for us to get some players back. [CB] Tyson Campbell, get a chance maybe in another couple of weeks to get him back. [S] Andrew Wingard has been doing a great job. We'll see where he's at here in a couple of weeks. So, we're getting close to getting all our guys back and that's a good thing.”

Q: On Etienne Jr.’s shoulder injury?

Pederson: “Yeah, I mean, he got popped on it yesterday pretty good and that's what kind of kept him out of the game there a little bit more in the second half just because it was sore and tender and just didn't want to risk it further.”

Q: On any other injuries coming out of Sunday’s game vs. Indianapolis?

Pederson: “Devin [WR Devin Duvernay] is going to be the big one right now for us. Everybody else came out good or came out OK. I mean, there's still going to be some sore guys as the week goes, but we came out pretty good.”

Q: On his evaluation of the pass defense this season so far?

Pederson: It's something that Ryan [Defensive Coordinator Ryan Nielsen] and I, we've talked about it. Look, we've got to make sure as coaches, we do the right thing for the players, making sure we're putting them in good spots, but at the same time too, we’ve got to have really good communication in the back end and sometimes we're getting some busted assignments back there. Those are in critical moments, and we've got to fix those. As good as Travon [DE Travon Walker] played and the D-line a little bit yesterday, there’s still a little bit more left. So, it's just a matter of just got to keep working, keep pushing through it. I think it's really close to opportunities to create some takeaways with the pressure, but we’ve just got to keep going.”

Q: On the improvement of the offensive line unit, particularly in the last two games?

Pederson: “Yeah, the O-line played good as a group again yesterday. When you can rush the ball for 125-plus yards, whatever it is, Tank [RB Tank Bigsby] goes for 101. Things are beginning to, from a scheme standpoint, you're kind of getting back to your core stuff. Those five guys playing together, there's the continuity, there's the rhythm, there's the timing of blocks, the combination of blocks. We can do a little bit better of coming off the second level. Indy had a couple of plays where their two linebackers can run and they made some plays, and that's going to happen. But I think these last two games have been good for our offensive line.”

Q: On Walker’s development since his rookie season in 2022?

Pederson: “Yeah, I think you're really seeing his power, his length, speed and athleticism, and who he is as a player. I think this scheme benefits him. He's embraced and really kind of bought into Ryan's philosophy and scheme and attack style. He just continues to improve each week, and just like where he's at, I mean, he had a really good game yesterday. Probably could have had a fourth sack in there, maybe a fifth sack in there. But that's just him and that's what I see during the week, how he prepares during the week and it's carrying over to the game and it did yesterday.”

Q: On how Walker’s skillset is helping him fit in Nielsen’s new scheme?

Pederson: “Well, it allows him to put his hand in the ground and really, it's an attack style, an aggressive style of front, come off the ball, roll off the ball. Being able to teach him how to create a pass-rush plan, how to execute that in a game, and then just him wanting to learn, and watching tape on other edge rushers around the league and in the history of our game. It's just making him a more versatile, more well-rounded defensive end that teams have to account for.”

Q: On S Darnell Savage’s performance in his first game back from injury?

Pederson: “I thought he played good. I mean, he came out late in the game a couple of times. He could feel his injury kind of, but nothing to set him back. I thought he played just how we asked him to play and made a few plays out there. I thought within the structure of, played probably a little bit more zone yesterday than previous weeks, and that's a strength of his. But I think just having his leadership out there, his veteran presence really paid off for those guys yesterday.”

Q: On the impact that Savage has on younger players such as CB Jarrian Jones?

Pederson: “100 percent. 100 percent. It just gives another – for Jarrian to kind of lean on and to watch and to study and really kind of – because that's the thing about it is, Jarrian can play corner, nickel, or Sav can go nickel, safety, and being able to play two spots, very helpful for Jarrian to be able to see that.”

Q: On the team’s sentiment that the best players have to play well on Sundays, and if that was evident vs. Indianapolis?

Pederson: “Yeah, it was. I thought our good players, our best players, the elites who stepped up in crucial moments and made the plays that helped us win that football game. That's what it's going to take, it's going to take that just week-in and week- out because I shared with the team, we've been in, what, four one-score games already, and so it's going to come down to the last four, five, six minutes of a football game. That's when you need those best players, right? Your best players to really step up and really make an impact, and they did that yesterday.”

Q: On why QB Trevor Lawrence is looking more confident in the pocket?

Pederson: “Protection. I mean, that, and I think just the receivers being on the same page, and it's more of a zone structure with Indy, so the guys being in the right spots, timing. He was accurate on the deep throws yesterday. It was something he worked on during the week, and that was good to see. That's how he can play.”

Q: On if he liked how Lawrence handled the two-minute drive at the end of the game?

Pederson: “That one, yes. The one before the end of the half, no. I mean, we could have done better there, but I thought at the end of the game, yeah, he saw the field. They pressured us a little bit, made a nice throw there to Christian [WR Christian Kirk] on the sideline for a – really got us in the field goal range at the end, and then we ran it three times just to try to take some time off the clock and force them to burn their timeouts. But I thought, when there was 2:52 or whatever it was left and a couple of timeouts, I knew we had plenty of time and opportunity to go down and at least kick that field goal.”

Q: On how unusual it was for the quarterback to not get hit in a full game?

Pederson: “It's rare. I mean, it's rare. It usually doesn't happen. You're going to get hit a couple of times, QB hurries, things of that nature. But again, I think it's just a credit to the O-line and just paying attention to detail and focusing on your job and just things we've been talking about with the team. They did a great job keeping him clean yesterday, and Trevor did a great job at distributing the football, and then we were able to run the ball with some success. So, I think all that helps keep your quarterback clean.”

Q: On how impressive Bigsby’s performance vs. Indianapolis was?

Pederson: “Yeah, I mean, it was impressive. He's aggressive, physical, kind of a one-cut guy. There are some teaching moments for us to be able to continue to show him where the hole will be and is, and he'll take that and improve this week. But he played well, and it's good to see from him, because as the season goes, you're going to need two, maybe all three of those guys. I thought D’Ernest [RB D’Ernest Johnson] did some good things in the pass-protection too yesterday when they pressured. But yeah, Tank played good.”

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE