JACKSONVILLE – This was a tough day, as Urban Meyer expected.
The Jaguars on Tuesday morning made five roster moves to trim their roster from 90 to 85 players. They were the first of many such moves for the Jaguars this preseason – and therefore, the first such moves for Meyer in his first season as an NFL head coach.
Meyer knew the day would be difficult.
Knowing that didn't make the task any easier — and he said that's true not just for him, but for every coach on his staff.
"It's an adjustment to this day for [everyone]," Meyer said Tuesday following Day 15 of Jaguars 2021 Training Camp practice at the Dream Finders Homes Practice Complex.
"Go ask [defensive coordinator] Joe Cullen how it feels. He's not a college coach, he's an NFL guy. Go ask [offensive coordinator Darrell] Bevell. Go ask Schotty (passing game coordinator Brian Schottenheimer). They're all, they're good people.
"If the guy doesn't go hard and it's self-inflicted, that doesn't bother you; same in college. A guy does stupid things, get out. A great person that works his tail off? Yeah, it's awful. Awful."
Tuesday's five moves cornerback DJ Daniel (waived), wide receivers Josh Imatorbhebhe (waived/injured) and Tim Jones (waived/injured), defensive tackle Daniel Ross (reserve/injured) and tight end Tim Tebow (waived).
Tebow, who played for Meyer at the University of Florida, was the most-high-profile of the moves. Tebow, a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback for Florida in 2007, was trying to make the Jaguars as a tight end at age 34 after six years away from football.
"We knew that was an uphill battle for Tim," Meyer said. "Players loved him. The locker room. But it was the right thing."
Meyer also discussed the other moves, saying he believes Imatorbhebhe and Jones both have futures in the NFL – and adding that Ross had played well. He called Tebow "an elite warrior, an elite competitor. He's also 34 years old."
"We talked last night, and we talked again this morning – as I did with other guys," Meyer said, adding that special teams played a big factor in Tuesday's moves.
"Roster management is really critical as we journey here into the next two weeks," Meyer said. "Two of the special teams phases are tackling and he (Tebow) had never tackled. We expect to be very good on special teams. The tight end position is one of those [positions], and tailback. If you can't contribute on special teams, that's a tough go."
NOTABLE
Meyer on Tuesday also discussed rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has worked with the first team throughout training camp along with veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew. Meyer was asked what he wanted to see from Lawrence for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft to begin working with the starters full time. "Probably consistency is the word you're looking for right now," Meyer said. "He has a bunch of good plays. You just can't have a bad play at that position."
NOTABLE II
Jaguars quarterbacks on Tuesday practiced with a large white stripe on their helmet – front to back in the middle of the helmet. Meyer said the stripe was to evaluate the quarterbacks' eye placement. "I just want to see their eyes, looking off safeties and all," Meyer said. "Watching film, you can't tell where they're looking. I don't know how good we are at moving people yet, so I want them to see. I've done that really everywhere I've been. They (quarterbacks) love it because they can see the reaction of the defense where they look. When you don't have a stripe, it's hard to see where their eyes are."
NOTABLE III
Meyer said cornerback Tre Herndon remains out of practice with a strained medial collateral ligament sustained in a Preseason Week 1 loss to Cleveland Saturday. He said Herndon is week to week. Meyer also said center Brandon Linder is out of practice with patella tendinitis. "We're going to sit him for a little bit, but he's fine," Meyer said of Linder. "He's fine."
