JACKSONVILLE – He's back, he's ready and he's smiling.

Josh Allen attended Day 1 of Jaguars 2024 Mandatory Minicamp at the Miller Electric Center Monday. He looked bigger and very much in shape after spending recent weeks training in Arizona. He also sounded optimistic and very much ready for what lies ahead.

"I'm ready to work and I'm glad to be back," Allen said. "I'm excited to be back. It was a good first day."

Allen, an edge defender who set career and franchise records with 17.5 sacks last season, was among multiple Jaguars veterans participating in Monday's unpadded practice. Head Coach Doug Pederson excused many veterans who participated in the voluntary portion of the offseason.

This minicamp represents the only mandatory work of the offseason. Wednesday's last day of minicamp essentially ends the offseason for veterans, with Pederson praising Allen shortly before Monday's practice.

"He's a veteran guy; he appears to be in great shape like he always is," Pederson said.

Allen, after working on his own in Arizona throughout the entire 2023 offseason, attended the early part of the 2024 offseason program with Ryan Nielsen taking over as defensive coordinator in July. He did not attend any OTAs, which along with this week's minicamp represent the offseason periods when teams can work – unpadded – in seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 situations.

"Now for him, he's going to be learning some new stuff," Pederson said. "These next couple of days are going to be great for him and for the young guys to see him and for the coaching staff to finally get their hands on him to start coaching and teaching. It will be a good two-and-a-half days with Josh here."

Nielsen will be the fourth NFL coordinator for Allen, the No. 7 overall selection by the Jaguars in the 2019 NFL Draft. Allen said he likes a lot about his early impressions of Nielsen and a largely new defensive staff.

"He loves ball," Allen said. "He's all about ball. And he wants me to pass rush."

He added, "I think communication so far has been great. The guys, they're working. Technique is the main thing that they focus on here. Everything else, you just play ball. When we play snaps, it's, 'You have to play ball at that point.' "

Allen's career-best statistical season in 2023 came in what was then the final season of his rookie contract, with the contract extension he signed this offseason making him one of the NFL's highest-paid defensive players.

Among his motivations entering this season? To show that his 2023 season not the result of being motivated by a "contract year."

"For me, this year, it's very personal," he said. "Last year, I figured out what works for me. So for me, it's, 'OK. I'm glad it was at the time where I needed to figure it out, to benefit off of it.' Now for me, it's like, 'You did it because of that.' No and I'll show you why. I found out what works for me. I'm going to double up, get better from there and improve mentally, physically and emotionally – and now I can go from there.

"For right now, I'm more mentally strong at this point of the season. It's just going to keep building from here."

He said, too, he is motivated by helping teammates be their best, adding that his approach to leading centers on maximizing his own ability and using results as his example.

"I want everybody to be better than me," he said. "If you don't know how to do it, 'This is my process. This is how I go through trying to become a better player and it worked. If that's what you want, come on.' If those guys want to take the next step, 'I'll show you the way I do it.'''

Allen said among his goals remain being Defensive Player of the Year, winning the Super Bowl and being Super Bowl MVP.

"I got a lot of stuff in my bag I can carry on," Allen said. "There are a lot of things that fuel me going into this year. I'm excited about year. I think we have a great team."

QUOTABLE

• Pederson on Allen: "The challenge for any player in that position that has had success the year before is, 'Can you do it again?' And you have to do it again. The contract is behind him now and he can just focus on ball – and I think that's his main focus, is helping us. He has to understand, too, that he doesn't have to do it by himself. There are 10 other guys on the field that can help him get to where he wants to be, too. I know the type of person he is and the way he works, he puts himself in a position to be successful as he moves forward."