ORLANDO, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson addressed the team's performance and plans for improvement during the NFL Annual Meeting held in Orlando on Thursday.
Reflecting on last season, Pederson acknowledged the challenges faced by the Jaguars, emphasizing that it serves as motivation for improvement moving forward. He attributed part of the team's struggles to injuries sustained during the season.
"I don't think I'll ever get over it. For me, it's my motivation, my fuel moving forward. We still have to get better, there's still more on the table. That helps your quarterback. You gotta be able to run the ball in this league as well. It sets up a lot of different things for you as well. That's something as a staff, that we've been working on this offseason," Pederson said.
Pederson highlighted the importance of strengthening the offensive line, noting that it plays a crucial role in supporting the quarterback and facilitating success in the league. He mentioned ongoing efforts to enhance the offensive line during the offseason.
"Injuries played a huge role in why the Jaguars struggled towards the second stretch of the season. If you look at it, Week 18 was kind of that snapshot of our what the offensive line was supposed to look like with Cam, Ezra, Luke, Brandon, and Anton. That was supposed to be the original, not the original five to start the season, but when we got Ezra, that was supposed to be what it looked like. They only played one game together," Pederson added.
Regarding roster development, Pederson expressed confidence in adding free agents such as offensive lineman Mitch Morse and defensive end Arik Armstead. He stressed the significance of bringing experienced players onto the roster who possess a winning mentality.
"These guys know how to win, and that's the influx of talent that we want to bring onto our young roster. Guys that have been there, done that. Again, I've got to continue to message the team in the right way and there's got to be a sort of confidence about you," Pederson said.
Looking ahead to the NFL Draft, Pederson indicated an interest in the wide receiver class, suggesting that the team may target receivers with their 17th overall pick.
The NFL Draft is set to commence on April 25, with coverage available on ABC 25.