Jaguars coach shoots down popular narrative about LB Devin Lloyd
While the spotlight will shine the brightest for Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Travon Walker, there's another 2022 first-round pick whose development could make a huge impact on how the defense looks in the upcoming season: Linebacker Devin Lloyd. Lloyd started 15 of 17 games he played for the Jags last year and finished the season […]
While the spotlight will shine the brightest for Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Travon Walker, there's another 2022 first-round pick whose development could make a huge impact on how the defense looks in the upcoming season: Linebacker Devin Lloyd.
Lloyd started 15 of 17 games he played for the Jags last year and finished the season with 115 total tackles. It was an ups-and-downs rookie year for Lloyd. As a pass rusher, however, Lloyd's numbers are very limited as he ended the season with just two quarterback hits and no sacks.
Back in March, Jaguars GM Trent Baalke suggested Lloyd could get involved in the team's efforts to rush the passer. Baalke claimed that the second-year player had "done a lot of that at the collegiate level. How can we implement him potentially in that thinking as well?"
While Baalke's comments had fans wondering what Lloyd would like from the edge, it doesn't appear to be on Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell's plans. According to the coach, it's not the correct way to correctly implement his talents as a pass rusher.
"Really Devin is an inside linebacker and inside linebackers typically blitz," Caldwell told reporters on Monday. "So when you line them up on the end of the line – which we have, we've lined him up there – that's really not their forte."
Last season, Lloyd was used as a pass rusher one way or another in only 74 snaps while he was in coverage for 567 snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
Now granted, that doesn't mean that he can't make an impact on how the Jaguars get to the quarterback. Caldwell's defense could consider a more aggressive approach when it comes to blitzing. Last year, they were right around league average in blitz rate ranking 15th in the league, per Pro Football Reference.
"(Lloyd) has a unique skill set where he can rest a quarterback but it's typically against running backs, possibly a tight end, but that's the type of matchup we want to get him into But offensive lineman, you know, that's other people's areas," Caldwell added.
Expect Lloyd to be a big contributor to the Jaguars' defense in 2023, just not as a rusher off the edge.
Featured image via David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports
