JACKSONVILLE – Ryan Nielsen's offseason approach will be the training camp approach.

For now, anyway.

Nielsen in his first offseason as the Jaguars' defensive coordinator emphasized not using a depth chart, meaning not predetermining roles for players. As 2024 Training Camp begins at the Miller Electric Center, Nielsen left no doubt that remains the emphasis.

"It's just really important that everybody gets an opportunity," he said.

Nielsen, speaking before a morning Day Two practice at the MEC in which the Jaguars worked one hour, forty-five minutes in temperatures in the mid-80s, emphasized the same "no-depth-chart" approach he discussed repeatedly during organized team activities in May and June.

"It's going to start like that," Nielsen said. "You'll see a bunch of combinations. Even yesterday (Wednesday), we had guys that maybe were who didn't play together in OTAs that were out there. Here's what we're looking for ultimately when we evaluate: 'Did the player win the rep at each position?' And then 'how are they playing with the guys around him?' It's part of the evaluation process. That's what preseason's for.

"What is camp? (To) Master the techniques of what we're doing. As it continues to go, as cuts are made, and guys are making the team and making plays, you'll see it get tighter, then you'll see that these guys are going to get some reps, then we get depth charts – and all that stuff matters.

"Right now it's fundamentals, technique, scheme, playing hard, being tough – those types of things. That's what camp's about."

Nielsen said the approach stems from a desire to not only ensure players are in the right position and roles, but to ensure the best players are on the field.

"That's a true evaluation," he said. "Maybe we had this guy third or fourth and he's playing a little bit better. If we wouldn't have put him in there, if we had said, 'It's stuck and you can't play against those guys,' then we would have never seen what they can do against our first or second team.

"So that's what we're doing right now. As that continues, we'll start having a depth chart. But this is three or four weeks away. We've got some time to evaluate."

Nielsen called the approach part of an overall philosophy that the Jaguars "always want our guys to be in position where they're going to have success."

"We're going to put them in positions that they can do well," Nielsen said. "That's one of the things as coaches we try to evaluate. That was a big thing in OTAs, is what do these guys do well and then put them in that position.

"You'll see some position changes because we've identified that maybe one guy plays a little bit better outside than inside, or one guy is a little bit better off the ball, on the ball. We don't want to be, 'Hey, if you don't fit this, you can't play.'

"That's what we're trying to do in every position and with every player that we have."

Here's a look at Thursday's Practice:

PLAY OF THE DAY

This went to veteran safety Andrew Wingard, who helped the defense continue a strong start to '24 camp. Wingard registered two interceptions in red-zone work on Thursday, both coming off passes from starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

STANDING OUT

• Veteran cornerback Ronald Darby registered a pass breakup on a pass from backup quarterback Mac Jones to second-year wide receiver Elijah Cooks. …
• Veteran cornerback Tre Flowers registered a pass breakup on a pass from Lawrence in seven-on-seven work …
• Veteran cornerback Tevaughn Campbell had a pass breakup in seven-on-seven work. …
• Wide receiver Denzel Mims caught a pass deep down the middle from reserve quarterback C.J. Beathard. …
• Running back Tank Bigsby had a strong run around left tackle early in practice. …
• Linebacker Foye Oluokun recovered a fumble by tight end Luke Farrell in seven-on-seven work. The defense has forced six red-zone turnovers in the first two days of camp – three interceptions on Day One and two interceptions and a fumble recovery on Day Two. …

INJURY WATCH

Rookie running back Keilan Robinson (toe) practiced Thursday and rookie free-agent offensive lineman Steven Jones (calf) remained out. Defensive lineman Arik Armstead (knee) remains on the physically unable to perform list to start camp.