JACKSONVILLE – He's feeling right, and that's good news.
It's a big change from a year ago. And while DaVon Hamilton isn't looking to the past, feeling good – and feeling like himself again – is a positive as Sunday's regular-season opener approaches.
The big man in the middle is ready for Week 1.
"I'm very blessed and highly favored to be able to be here this year," he said.
Hamilton, the Jaguars' fifth-year nose tackle, is healthy entering Sunday's Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. – this after a spinal abscess kept him out the first seven games of the 2023 season.
"It was a tough year last year," he said.
Hamilton, a third-round selection by the Jaguars in the 2020 NFL Draft who signed a long-term contract extension in the 2023 offseason, played eight games upon his 2023 return. While he didn't during that stretch reach the level of effectiveness he showed late in the 2022 season, he drew praise from coaches during 2024 Training Camp and '24 preseason, appearing near or back to pre-2023 form.
While Hamilton said it's not fair to say he never felt physically right in 2023, he said being able to prepare fully for the season has him optimistic.
"I felt like myself [late last season], but there was definitely a lot of work that was surpassed – being able to play a whole season compared to coming off an injury," he said. "I got a better start this year, so I'm excited.
"I had a huge appreciation for the game before. Now, it's definitely [different]. You never know when this is going to end for you. You never know when football can end.
"Being able to come back is more than a dream."
Hamilton's return to health is among multiple factors giving the Jaguars a potentially strong defensive front in 2024. Defensive ends Travon Walkerand Josh Hines-Allen combined to lead the sacks in 2023 as a duo with 27.5, with veteran Roy Robertson-Harrisalso returning. They selected defensive tackles Maason Smith and Jordan Jefferson in Rounds 2 and 4 of the 2024 NFL Draft.
They also in the offseason signed Arik Armstead as a free agent. Armstead played nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, and was a key player on strong defensive lines that helped the franchise to four conference championship games and two Super Bowls in the last five seasons.
"We have all the potential in the world," Hamilton said. "All we have to do is work together, be able to communicate together and be on the same page as one another. If we do that, I feel like we should have a dominant year."
QUOTABLE
- Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen: "It's our motto every day: attack everything. Everything we do. The weight room, the meeting rooms, the practice field, rehab … we attack. It's the mindset of being ready for everything. We're going to treat it like today's Sunday, we attack today, treat it like a game, so then when Sunday happens, we're prepared. They're going to do some things that we didn't prepare for. It's Game 1. Everybody does that, but as long as we align and adjust, we get our eyes in the right spot, we win the pre-snap and then we go out there and we attack the play, we should be pretty good."
QUOTABLE
- Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor on the offensive line: "We're very confident in the work they've put in. That's really all we can go off right now. From April through training camp, whether it's the meetings, spending time together, getting on the same page communication-wise, to the reps we see on the field and the reps we spend time getting in the walkthroughs. We've put a lot of time into that and we're very confident in the way they'll play. But again, that's part of it. Let's go see what happens."
NOTABLE
- Safety Daniel Thomasremained the lone Jaguars player on the injury report Thursday. He was listed as practicing limited for a second consecutive day with an Achilles injury
Working for the weekend! View top photos of the Jaguars preparing to take on the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon for regular-season week one.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback John Rhys Plumlee (18) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter (99) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive tackle Maason Smith (94) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones (22) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun (23) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones (22) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive tackle Tyler Lacy (93) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen (70) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars offensive linemen Anton Harrison (77) and Luke Fortner (79) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker (44) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars assistant outside linebackers coach Mario Jeberaeel during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead (91) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars offensive lineman Luke Fortner (79) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars offensive lineman Mitch Morse (65) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars offensive lineman Anton Harrison (77) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive tackle Joe Gaziano (97) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars offensive linemen during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars assistant defensive line coach Rory Segrest during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars outside linebacker coach Bill Shuey during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars offensive lineman Steven Jones (64) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback John Rhys Plumlee (18) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead (91) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight end Shawn Bowman (49) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive tackle Maason Smith (94) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson (98) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars tight ends coach Richard Angulo during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris (95) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars offensive lineman Mitch Morse (65) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars Cornerback Tyson Campbell (3) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson (98) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back Jalen Jackson (36) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (4) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen (70) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Austin Trammell (86) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit (84) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (4) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars wide receiver Louis Rees-Zammit (84) during practice at the Miller Electric Center on September 4, 2024.
