That electric, almost mythical charge in the air during the Jaguars’ improbable ’96 run to the AFC title game? That feeling of a young franchise finding its ‘snarling identity’? Fast forward nearly three decades, and a familiar, gravelly voice from those early glory days is tapping the mic, suggesting it’s time to rediscover Trevor Lawrence’s spark, starting with the guy protecting the crown jewel.
“I’m counting on Walker Little to step it up to have a better year,” declared Tom McManus, the embodiment of those mid-90s grinders. He isn’t holding back on expectations from $40.5 million left tackle Walker Little. “I know a lot of you give him, uh, you know, high grades…I think he’s, you know, okay.” The pause hung heavy, a veteran linebacker sizing up a gap in the line. “Think he needs to be better than okay.”
McManus wasn’t just nitpicking PFF’s solid-but-not-elite 72.8 overall grade for Little from 2024. He was zeroing in on the intangibles – the very soul of trench warfare, protecting Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence, for all his golden-arm talent, spent too much of last season under siege. His pressure-to-sack rate ballooned to 20.0% (17th in NFL), a worrying trend climbing yearly. When blitzed? His passer rating plummeted to a league-worst 71.17. Dropbacks lasting over three seconds were a disaster zone, ending in sacks or picks a staggering 25% of the time. “Okay” protection, as McManus framed it, simply fuels those defensive feeding frenzies.
But McManus, ever the locker-room philosopher, sees the remedy brewing. It’s not just about Little unlocking a nastier streak, though he emphatically stated, “I tell you what, he’s got all the physical tools to do it. He’s big…fast…quick…athletic…flexible. Just needs the right temperament.” The real magic, McManus believes, comes from the environment. “And, again, I think it’s going to come through. It, you know, it usually comes from other players.” Enter the new regime’s masterstroke: GM James Gladstone and Head Coach Liam Coen are deliberately importing enforcers. Think less X’s and O’s, more attitude transplants.
“Coaches bring in those players to shake that whole thing up,” McManus explained, his voice gaining the fervor of a pre-game hype man, “because you want those kind of players in your locker room, right? You want those players that say, ‘Hey, man, we got to be real physical today. Come up and thump somebody.’” This is the antidote to last year, when the defensive unit often outshone the offense. It’s about building a culture where not meeting that physical standard feels alien.
Coen’s conundrum: The RB room pressure cooker
While McManus scrutinizes the trenches, Coen walks into camp facing his own high-stakes puzzle: a running back room simmering with talent and tension. Travis Etienne ($40M extension potential looming), Tank Bigsby, and rookie Bhayshul Tuten form a triumvirate separated by mere inches and pounds, but possessing distinct, explosive skills. This isn’t just depth; it’s one of the league’s five most intriguing position battles.
The burning questions for Coen are real:
Who takes the first snap? That initial rep in camp is a subtle but potent endorsement. Does it go to the established, albeit sometimes inconsistent, Etienne? Or the surging Bigsby, who seized his chance when Etienne’s shoulder faltered last year? Bigsby didn’t just fill in; he outperformed down the stretch. As ESPN’s Ben Solak noted: “from Weeks 5–18… Bigsby outrushed Etienne 147–103” with a superior EPA per rush (0.01 vs. -0.13) and yards after contact (2.33 vs. 1.36). That momentum is tangible.
How does Coen’s scheme reshape the roles? Coen’s Buccaneers were a rare top-5 unit in both rushing and passing last year, masterfully deploying a committee of Rachaad White and rookie Bucky Irving. His balanced, lead-protecting offense in Tampa averaged 483 carries – significantly more than Doug Pederson’s Jags (438). Solak poses the obvious: “Why not just play Etienne and Bigsby in a committee?” Enter Tuten. The 4th-round dynamo, boasting a 4.32-second 40-yard dash and a nation-leading 0.34 missed tackles forced per attempt at Virginia Tech, is the electrifying wild card. “I’m fairly certain Tuten will play a solid role,” Solak stated, acknowledging the rookie’s game-breaking potential. But reality bites: “There aren’t enough touches to feed three backs.”
Who becomes the odd man out? This is the billion-dollar question simmering beneath the Florida sun. Coen’s preference for a two-back system and Tuten’s undeniable juice create a logjam. Solak’s analysis cuts deep: “Given what we saw last season, I think Bigsby will win that battle in a fair fight — the decision might come down to which back returns more capital in a trade.” Etienne’s pedigree and contract expectations could make him valuable trade bait, especially for a team needing RB help and willing to offer draft capital (something the Jags crave after sending their 2026 1st-rounder in the Travis Hunter deal). Bigsby’s cost-controlled rookie deal and late-season surge also hold significant value.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Jacksonville Jaguars Rookie Minicamp May 10, 2025 Jacksonville, FL, USA Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen meets with the media following rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center. Jacksonville Miller Electric Center FL USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xTravisxRegisterx 20250510_bd_na7_162
That debate also feeds into the demands that are being placed on the OL. “You want those tough physical guys that back it up,” McManus continued, painting the blueprint. “You want them in your locker room…on your team… out there in the field.” This is the domino effect in motion. A new, vocal leader sets the tone in a drill.
A rookie guard like Wyatt Milum embraces the brawl. Suddenly, the expectation shifts. Complacency evaporates. “And it’s going to happen because it’s that GM feeding the locker room with the kind of players they’re looking for.” What are they seeking? McManus cuts to the chase: “Intangibly rich who love football.” He leaves no room for ambiguity: “Well, we all know what that means.”
The implications are crystal clear for Little and the entire O-line room. This isn’t just about improving run-blocking grades (where Little was a respectable 28th) or shaving fractions off his 4.1% pressure-allowed rate. It’s about embodying the new ‘savage’ identity Gladstone and Coen preach.
For Lawrence, entering a pivotal Year 5, this cultural shift isn’t just welcome; it’s essential. His stats under pressure last year – a passer rating of 79.9 (10th best, but still a significant drop from his 89.65 clean) and a league-worst 24.1% completion rate outside the pocket – scream for a sturdier fortress.
Little, now secured with a $40 M+ extension, stands squarely in the spotlight McManus shone. Does he have the “temperament” to elevate from “okay” to foundational? The dominoes of toughness Gladstone is stacking around him are poised to fall. The hope in Duval is they knock down walls, not the franchise QB. The ’96 magic didn’t happen by accident; it was forged. The anvil is heating up again.
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