JACKSONVILLE – He's bigger, and Devin Lloyd believes that will mean better.
The third-year linebacker also is in an adjusted role early in Jaguars 2024 Training Camp, which gave his Saturday media availability a forward-looking feel.
This is a time of transition, and Lloyd sees it as a positive.
"Feeling good," he said.
Lloyd, the No. 27 overall selection by the Jaguars in the 2022 NFL Draft entering his third season as a starter, spoke to the media Saturday following a Day 4 practice at the Miller Electric Center. He spoke extensively about his role in a revamped defense under first-year coordinator Ryan Nielsen.
Lloyd said he's playing in the middle in Nielsen's scheme – and to prepare for the role, he has added significant weight compared to his first two seasons.
"It's just to play dominant, to play strong throughout the season," Lloyd said. "Obviously, it helps for injury prevention. Really just to play physically stout. That's what the linebacker position is for. If I can carry it, I'm going to put on a little bit extra weight for sure."
Lloyd added, "Just being in the middle, being in the box … me putting on weight helps engage linemen. I think that's really where I do most of my damage: in the middle."
Lloyd, after starting 30 of 32 games played as an inside linebacker in the Jaguars' 3-4 defensive scheme, said he added about 12 to 15 pounds in the offseason and is about 252 pounds as camp begins. He said he likes the added weight.
"I'm excited to continue moving on forward with this and going through a season and see how my body feels," he said. "I think I'm going to feel a lot better and stronger towards Week 18 and plus. That's really what it's for."
Lloyd added of the first four days of camp, "I feel really good, especially putting on some weight. It's really just kind of getting your legs back, getting the weight back under you, getting acclimated to the heat. So, just continuing to build, but feeling good right now."
The Jaguars' defense has looked strong in non-padded, limited-contact work through the first few days of camp – an apparent improvement that Lloyd attributed to players adapting quickly to Nielsen's attacking, four-lineman scheme.
"Guys have been really communicating at a high level," he said. "You credit it a lot to Ryan and all the coaches. They're obviously teaching us the right techniques, and then the scheme helps us match coverages, match our offensive players a little bit.
"We're just taking the space out of it. The majority of the time we're closing on them, closing the ground on them right now, which we really appreciate."
Lloyd said the aggressive, quick-reaction nature of Nielsen's scheme allows defenders to "just basically take your guy right now."
"It's kind of no waiting for them," Lloyd said. "We're dictating it, we're not letting them dictate us. I really appreciate that and really just playing downhill. It's just making sure there's no gray area on any level and each call. Every call has so many intricate details and making sure that there's no gray or making sure we don't see it one way and the safeties see it another way.
"Everybody's on the same page, communication is at a high level. It's complex but simple. It's relatively simple, and so it's easy for everybody to just be decisive."
NOTABLE MOMENTS FROM JAGUARS TRAINING CAMP - DAY 4
Special teams coordinator Heath Farwell on Saturday morning discussed rookie Keilan Robinson, who is expected to play a role as a kickoff returner and other special teams roles. Robinson returned 38 kicks for a 23.6-yard average and a touchdown the past two seasons at the University of Texas. "He's been great," Farwell said. "His return ability is unbelievable. He's a kick returner. He's doing a really good job as a punt returner. The other portion of that is, what can he do in other phases? He has been great. He is going to be a four-phase guy. He's going to be a good player for us. I was happy with what I saw in college and he's even better than that. He's just a guy that flies around, has fun, plays hard, wants to be out there again. We love him in the [special teams] room."
