Jaguars Notebook: 5 Observations From Day 3 of Minicamp

The Jacksonville Jaguars will spend the next five weeks recharging their batteries, concluding their offseason program on Wednesday with the third and final day of minicamp.

With the Jaguars officially out of school for summer, what did we see during the final day of offseason practice at TIAA Bank Field? We break it down below.

Josh Allen's leadership stands out

One of the few veterans on the practice field this week, Josh Allen has made sure to make his presence felt. The fifth-year veteran and three-time captain has talked about his enthusiasm to be around the rookie class and the new young additions to the defense, which obviously included outside linebacker Yasir Abdullah.

Abdullah has clearly taken to Allen's teachings throughout drills, with Allen making sure to give him tips or encouragement more than a few times throughout practices. With Abdullah impressing on Wednesday and showing good fluidity in space as a stand-up outside linebacker, it shows that Allen's guidance is already helping form his rookie season.

Parker Washington gears up for training camp

One rookie who we haven't b been able to see at 100% during the offseason is sixth-round wide receiver Parker Washington, who has been recovering from a season-ending ankle injury he sustained at Penn State. That will change come training camp, though, with Washington seemingly picking up speed toward the end of minicamp and looking prepared to enter camp on a high note.

Washington reminds me a lot fo Christian Kirk just in terms of his compact build and quick feet. He's set to play the slot position and could be a nice backup option behind Kirk as long as he performs well in camp when the pads come on. He may not be 100% yet, but he impressed me a lot with his hands during his reps on Wednesday.

Doug Pederson stresses the importance of the next five weeks

The true grind of the season starts next month when the Jaguars report for training camp. From that point on, nearly every single day is about the journey toward another AFC South title in 2023. That means the next five weeks are important in a sense, but it isn't the only reason. For as important as it is for players to recharge, Pederson noted on Wednesday that it is also important for them to ensure they maintain themselves physically.

"It's very important. it's important off the field, you know, to just get some rest, to be around family, enjoy the summer. And then it's also important that they maintain their physicality, the strength and conditioning part of the sport," Pederson said.

"I challenge them all really to continue to run, you know, and it's going to be warm when we come back and things are gonna, you know, progress rapidly and then pick up with the length of practices and just being in that frame of mind, you know, you can't just be idle for five weeks. It's just, they put so much good time in now, they're in really good shape right now. It's just a matter of maintaining that and coming into camp, you know, healthy and ready to go."

De'Shaan Dixon finds a new role in the defense

An undrafted success story a year ago, former Norfolk State standout De'Shaan Dixon will have a chance to find the field in a different way in 2023. As Doug Pederson explained in a pre-practice press conference, Dixon is set to see more snaps as an interior player in training camp, setting the stage for a pivotal period in the athletic defensive lineman's Jaguars' tenure.

"De'Shaan, we've actually moved him inside as an interior d-lineman, and, you know, allowed him to -- he's bulked up a little bit and gained some weight, good weight. It'll be good for him, you know, to take that versatility from outside to move it inside," Pederson said. "So there's another two-way player for you, right, in two different spots."

With former inside-out pass-rusher Arden Key now with the Tennessee Titans, it is smart for the Jaguars to look to their own young stable of defenders to attempt to create another similar skill-set. Dixon is an athletic and high-effort player who has the length and athleticism to potentially be a mismatch inside if he takes to the transition well.

Jaguars officially break for the summer

The next time the Jaguars practice, they will no longer be inside TIAA Bank Field. The Jaguars will find their new home at the Miller Electric Center, their new practice and football facility. While players have spent the better part of the last month in the classroom and on the practice field, Wednesday marked the final chance for players to know what is ahead of them come late-July.

"It's been good. I mean, I know everybody's excited, you know, being the last day and get to the summer," Pederson said before practice. "But, you know, obviously, we've had great participation. And, you know, today's, we got one more day to get better, work on some red-zone and, you know, get these guys in the right frame of mind, obviously, too for, you know, reporting to camp."

This didn't impact practice, obviously, with the Jaguars holding perhaps the most spirited practice of minicamp, with the offense and defense trading big plays against each other throughout the course of practice. School is out, but the Jaguars didn't take a day off on Wednesday in any sense.

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