Devin Lloyd’s Breakout Year Puts Jaguars in a Familiar Dilemma
Devin Lloyd didn’t need a contract year to find motivation-he’s built like that. The Jaguars linebacker turned in the best season of his young career in 2025, earning his first Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro honors. And he did it after Jacksonville declined his fifth-year option, a decision that now looks like a gamble the front office might want back.
But Lloyd insists it wasn’t about proving anyone wrong. This is just how he approaches the game.
“Every year is a prove-it year,” Lloyd said. “You always have that mindset.”
That mindset turned into production in 2025. Lloyd finished the season with five interceptions, six tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks-a stat line that doesn’t just speak to his versatility, it screams it. He was everywhere, impacting the game in coverage, against the run, and even as a blitzer.
Much of that success, Lloyd says, came from the trust and vision of first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. The two clicked quickly, and Campanile wasted little time figuring out how to unleash Lloyd’s full toolbox.
“I take pride in being able to do what I did last year in any defense,” Lloyd said. “(The new coaches) came in and they understood that I have a skill set. As the weeks progressed, they really started allowing me to utilize that skill set more and more.”
That belief from the coaching staff, Lloyd added, was critical-not just for him, but for any player. When coaches put guys in position to succeed, good things happen. And Lloyd took care of his end too, locking in on the details: practice habits, nutrition, sleep, and everything in between.
“It really just comes down to every day, ready to attack practice, ready to attack the game,” he said. “And that’s nutrition, sleep, all the above.”
Now, the question becomes: what’s next? Lloyd made it clear he’d like to stay in Jacksonville, where his family and support system are based. But he’s also leaving the door open, saying the most important thing is being in the “right spot.”
“I want to be where God wants me to be,” Lloyd said. “For me, being back in Jacksonville-my mom lives out there, my lady is out there-there are a lot of pros.
Ultimately, it’s just about being in the right spot. That’s the No. 1 most important thing.”
Cam Ward Embracing New Era in Tennessee with Saleh, Daboll
In Tennessee, the Titans are hitting the reset button-and rookie quarterback Cam Ward is all in. After a rocky 2025 season, the franchise is turning the page with a new head coach in Robert Saleh and a new offensive coordinator in Brian Daboll. And Ward couldn’t be more excited about the pairing.
“I don’t need it, but I want it,” Ward said of Daboll’s coaching style. “It’s not for my sake, because I know what I want to be-I don’t need a coach to pat me on the back or cuss me out.
I want a coach like Coach Daboll who is going to be the same each and every day. He’s going to let me know the real, and I just have to respond.”
Ward already has some familiarity with Daboll, having met with him during last year’s pre-draft process when Daboll was still with the Giants. That connection laid the groundwork for what Ward believes can be a strong, collaborative relationship.
“I had a good interview process with him throughout the draft season last year,” Ward said. “I think he’s going to do a lot of things to compliment me. I think he is going to put me and the team in the best situation.”
Ward isn’t just excited about the X’s and O’s. He’s looking forward to being coached by someone who listens, gives honest feedback, and builds a plan that plays to his strengths.
“Having a coach like Daboll, who is going to listen to me and give me feedback from the film room to the field-that’s why I’m excited to be heard by him,” Ward said. “It’s going to get some wins for us.”
As for Saleh, Ward sees a coach who brings identity and credibility-two things the Titans have been searching for.
“I think it’s a great hire, especially for the team and where we want to be identity-wise, what we want to put on the field,” Ward said. “He’s respected among players across the league. So, I am excited to have him as my head coach, and excited to get some wins for him.”
Saleh and Daboll: From Rivals to Rebuilders
Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll weren’t exactly best friends when they were coaching on opposite sidelines in New York. In fact, Saleh joked he used to think Daboll was a bit of a jerk.
“I always thought he was a jerk,” Saleh said with a laugh. “When we’d play against him, he never said hello.”
But now, the two are teaming up in Tennessee, and the mutual respect is real. Both were shown the door in New York in large part due to inconsistent quarterback play. Now, they’re joining forces to build something new-and they’ve got a shared vision for how to do it.
“We’ve had many conversations about just how we would handle things,” Saleh said. “The empathy of being in the (New York) market.
We built a common appreciation for the way we go about our business-the way he runs offense, the way I run defense. To be able to link up with him, we’re very fortunate.”
A major part of their plan? Taking the pressure off Cam Ward and letting him grow into the role rather than forcing it all on him from day one.
“For Cam, the best way to develop a quarterback is to give him a team that doesn’t make him feel like he has to be Superman, at least early on,” Saleh explained. “There is going to be a time as Cam continues to develop where he can put this entire organization on his shoulders. But asking that of a young kid is unrealistic.”
Instead, the focus will be on fundamentals-rebuilding Ward from the ground up and giving him the tools to thrive in the long run.
“Cam, from everything I’ve gathered and all the discussions I’ve had throughout the building, throughout the league: He comes with an elite work ethic, elite character, elite person,” Saleh said. “The biggest thing we’re gonna work with Cam is just going all the way back to the beginning. We’ve got a whole offseason to work with him-take him back to the beginning, on the field and off the field.”
That means everything from body preparation to film study to playbook mastery. It’s a full reset-and if it clicks, the Titans might finally have the quarterback-coach tandem they’ve been searching for.