3 Most Important Things Jaguars' Liam Coen Said About Week 1, and Why They Matter

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The stage has been set for Week 1, and it is almost game time.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have spent all summer and spring preparing for the 2026 season, and their Week 1 home opener against the Cleveland Browns is now just days away.

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen took the podium at the Miller Electric Center Wednesday to discuss the Jaguars' Week 1 battle with the Browns, and here are the most important takeaways ... and why they matter.

On Cole Van Lanen

I think, he'll be a game time decision, I would imagine, working him out before the game, and seeing what that's going to look like, just using every op we can to, to get him to potentially be ready to go. We'll kind of take it all the way up till game time with that one. You want to get him in. You want to be able to get him some work, get him some reps, get him feeling confident in a game-like setting, missing the joints and all those kind of ops that our other guys obviously had throughout training camp.
Liam Coen

This is the second week in a row in which Coen has given a Van Lanen update that is more positive than anything else. Last week Coen said he was "hopeful" for Van Lanen's chances to be back in the lineup in Week 1, noting that he thought he has looked good and confident since returning from the Active/PUP list and hitting the practice field. To add onto the good news, Van Lanen was in full pads for practice during the media viewing session on Wedesday and did not seem limited in the slightest.

The fact the Jaguars could get Van Lanen back so quickly despite him injuring his knee on Jan. 4 earlier this year is already an early win for the Jaguars. Van Lanen's chances certainly appear to be closer to high than otherwise to play, too, since Coen is already calling him a game-time decision before three days of practice leading up to Sunday.

My read? Van Lanen has a real chance to play on Sunday. If he doesn't, then we won't have to wait much longer to see him take the place at right tackle in the starting lineup. I am not ready to say Van Lanen should be considered officially back, but it sure seems like it is getting closer and closer.

On Defensive Strategy

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (12) is helped on technique by defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile during the first day of NFL Training Camp at the Miller Electric Center on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

We played man coverage last year. It was in some different situations, and that's been a point of emphasis all offseason. You want to see it come to fruition; you want to see it have the impact on the front that you're hoping that it can have. And while still, I mean, we're remaining true to our core. That was pretty successful for us, obviously, is being able to play vision zone, have our eyes on the quarterback, get tips and overthrows, be able to cause some of those tight window throws that zone coverage can do and can be challenging on any quarterback. But also knowing that, hey, man, there's times where we might need to go and challenge these guys and be able to get up in there. It's always that balance, especially in zone coverage.
Liam Coen

This is one of the aspects of the defense that fascinates me the most, All signs are pointing to the Jaguars mixing things up in their secondary more this season, especially with Travis Hunter set to take over as the Jaguars' No. 1 cornerback. But, as Coen noted, this might not mean the Jaguars change their entire approach in the secondary entering their second year in Anthony Campanile's scheme.

The Jaguars ran zone coverage at some of the highest clips of any team from a year ago, and they will be expected to switch things up a bit more this year as they look to make quarterbacks hold onto the ball a tick longer. That might not mean a complete overhaul of the defensive scheme, of course, but it does mean the Jaguars will look a bit different on the backend when it comes to different situations.

Jacksonville's coverage strategy was a big reason they recorded so many critical takeaways a year ago. Now balancing those turnovers with tighter coverage in certain downs and distances will be the next step for the Jaguars' defense under Campanile.

On Browns' Unknowns

mike rutenber — Mike Rutenberg, defensive coordinator, speaks with media following the Browns OTA in Berea on May 27, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

So much of what we're doing in game one is you're trying to do what you do best. Just because I have no idea what Rudy's [Browns Defensive Coordinator Mike Rutenberg] going to play defensively. I really don't have a clue. You have an idea of some of the things that maybe they've done before or in the past you go back and look, but, they have a little bit of, I don't, I want to say an upper hand, but they have our tape from last season. I don't have his tape from last season of his defense, right. I've got an idea, we've got some thoughts, we've got some cut-ups and all that, but so in game one specifically, I think you would have to really be ready to adjust.
Liam Coen

The Browns have had one of the best defenses in football for the last several years, but they lost arguably the two biggest reasons why this offseason with the departures of All-World defensive end Myles Garrett and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. In their place are Jared Verse and new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg, who is in his first year as a coordinator.

Just like offenses did not have much film to go off of when it came to the Jaguars' schemes a year ago, the Jaguars are facing similar questions with the Browns and Rutenberg. That means the Jaguars will be in a bit of an uncomfortable situation and entering Sunday walking a bit blind. As a result, the Jaguars will be resorting to maybe a few less wrinkles than we can expect the next week against the Denver Broncos, who the Jaguars have plety of tape on from a year ago.

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