2026 NFL coaching camps are about to kick off across the league, turning America’s consideration again from fútbol to soccer.
Travis and I might be out on the Miller Electrical Middle all through the subsequent few weeks to report again in your Jacksonville Jaguars. Whereas he screens a number of positional battles, I’ll be maintaining a tally of two gamers particularly.
Jacksonville’s ability participant lineup for 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs) appears to be like spectacular on paper. The beginning receivers might be Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Jakobi Meyers; the highest tight finish might be Brenton Unusual; and the lead working again function will rotate between Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr., and LeQuint Allen Jr.
The Jaguars are outfitted for lighter packages as nicely. 10 personnel (1 RB, 0 TEs, 4 WRs) would permit Travis Hunter to play alongside these aforementioned wideouts, whereas 21 personnel (2 RBs, 1 TE, 2 WRs) — particularly, “pony” packages that subject two receiving-capable backs versus a tailback and a fullback — is one other potential wrinkle to create schematic benefits.
However what about when the offense desires to place heavier our bodies on the sector?
Liam Coen might experiment with jumbo packages that add an additional offensive lineman to the equation, as he did on 108 snaps (sixth-most within the NFL) in his first yr as Jaguars head coach. However that was extra so a necessity than a luxurious. About midway by the 2025 season, Unusual was positioned on injured reserve, Hunter Lengthy and Quintin Morris missed 5 mixed video games, and Johnny Mundt was at one level a wholesome scratch. An absence of tight finish availability gave strategy to extra jumbo bundle alternatives.
Performs with additional offensive linemen will nonetheless be a part of Coen’s offense, however he’ll need to reduce these appears to be like in favor of ones with a number of tight ends.
The return of 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TEs, 2 WRs) and 13 personnel (1 RB, 3 TEs, 1 WR) to a league dominated by three-receiver units is probably the highest schematic story of this offseason.
Jacksonville re-signed Morris earlier than deciding on two tight ends, Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol, in a draft that noticed 22 tight ends in complete go off the board (most since 2002).
As a nearly-25-year-old prospect with simply 38 profession receptions, the collection of Boerkircher at No. 56 total initially caught observers off guard. He’s an intriguing athlete, certain, however a near-top-50 choice? For somebody who initiatives to be a No. 2 tight finish? Actually?
The Jags favored Morris sufficient to deliver him again, and Lengthy remains to be on the roster, however they’re hoping to see Boerkircher earn a Week 1 function as a complementary piece to Unusual.
Throughout OTAs in June, Coen hinted towards a bigger receiving workload for his prime tight finish as long as Boerkircher can maintain up as a blocker.
“As much as man, we love Brenton Strange blocking and he’s so tough, he wants to do it, he’s physical, he’ll bite you. He also missed some time last year … when you look at when he has production what our record looks like, it’s kind of interesting to see. And so, allowing Brenton to continue to do what he does well, but also to maybe take some of that wear and tear, some of the pounding that it takes when you’re blocking the Travon Walkers of the world and Josh Hines-Allens of the world, getting him matched up more on those linebackers and safeties and now he’s an advantage for us. Now we have an edge. So, we always feel good about Strange blocking at the point of attack, but we needed some help there. Being able to provide Strange an option to go maybe split out or go block other people that maybe keep him out of some of those one-on-one big situations, I think that’s going to help us tremendously.”
I’m ready to be underwhelmed by Boerkircher’s influence within the go sport at some point of his rookie season. Nevertheless, if he can maintain his personal within the trenches as early as coaching camp, I’ll really feel rather more comfy in regards to the flexibility of Coen’s offense coming into the 2026 season.
On the NFL’s annual league conferences again in March, Coen revealed a daring purpose he set for Walker.
“I had an almost two-hour meeting with him at the end of the season. Just what that looked like in terms of dominating. You know, I was with Aaron Donald in L.A., and we literally had to take him out of practice in order for us to gain yards on offense. And so, if you want to get where you want to go, and where we want you to go, and where you can go, I need to be taking you out of practice so that we can operate on offense. I want that kind of destruction and mindset and mentality. And he was on the same page about it.”
“Not talent, not anything about their length and size and anything that way. It’s just habits. Elite habits, elite practice preparation, game preparation, that. Those habits. The way that you practice on a day-to-day basis. I’d better be taking you out of the practice for us to operate. You should disrupt the entire thing in order for us to operate. I want that.”
Let’s see if we get it!
Walker does have plenty of momentum coming into this season, and never simply because he’s $110 million richer. After rating top-15 amongst all NFL defenders in sacks (2) and pressures (12) by the primary three video games of final season, he sustained the primary of a number of accidents in Week 4, however continued to play comparatively nicely nonetheless.
The previous Bulldog provides defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile the kind of X’s and O’s benefit that Coen is hoping to get out of Boerkircher. On The Brent & Austen Present in April, Campanile stated Walker’s versatility “is really what enables us to do a lot of the things that we do.”
“A guy like Travon lets us play so many different fronts over the course of the game with the same personnel grouping that it makes it hard for the offense to ever get a gauge on what you’re going to be in in terms of the front. It’s one thing in the backend, you know, to be multiple and changing coverages and all that, but to be able to come out and be in over defense, be in under defense, be in bear, be in 6-1 defense, you know, be in loaded fronts. You really have to have a guy who’s versatile enough to do that.”
The now-healthy and rich Walker began to flash these AD-like habits at OTAs, to the delight of his head coach. “Travon Walker showed up in a big way, especially when we got into some competitive situations, doing what I challenged him with, which was to dominate. Through the first two days of minicamp, he didn’t lose many reps.”
Jacksonville’s roster is stocked with high-potential first-round picks. Walker, Anton Harrison, Brian Thomas Jr., and Travis Hunter are already vital contributors, however to take a leap within the NFL hierarchy, the Jaguars will want these gamers to take a leap individually. It begins with the man who simply acquired paid.
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