The Jacksonville Jaguars are pinning a lot of hope on the growth and development of outside linebacker Travon Walker.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft exploded out of the gates last season with an interception and sack in his regular season debut. But he cooled down significantly and finished his rookie year with 3.5 sacks.
After opting against adding much pass rush help in the offseason, the Jaguars need to see a new and improved version of Walker in 2023. Defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell offered hope Monday that things are progressing smoothly.
“You love to see the continual improvement in the run game which was strong last year, we just need him to step that up,” Caldwell said of Walker. “Then in the pass game, you see the rushes. At times, he’s winning on the edge. He’s powering and he’s countering now. His toolbox is expanding and you see the progress going on.”
Fellow outside linebacker Josh Allen offered an even more glowing review of Walker’s progress last week when he told reporters that he expects the No. 1 pick to “dominate” this year.
Jacksonville finished the 2022 season with 35 sacks, 26th most in the NFL. In the offseason, the Jaguars allowed Arden Key, who finished third on the team in sacks, to join the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
