Camp snapshot: Day 5

JACKSONVILLE – The time for pads – and hitting – is at hand. At last.

The Jaguars on Saturday morning held their fifth 2022 Training Camp practice at Episcopal School of Jacksonville Knight Sports Campus. They worked in shoulder pads and shorts, with the first day in full pads – and full contact – scheduled for Sunday morning.

“Right now, it’s early; everybody’s doing the job of learning what they’re going to do,” Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said early Saturday morning before practice. “Tomorrow, we get full pads on. That’s where the real evaluation goes.”

Head Coach Doug Pederson said emphasis will remain on player safety.

“Again, we don’t tackle,” he said. “We don’t go to the ground. We stay up. We don’t cut guys. We practice fast. You just want to see an extension of what we’re doing. You get a little better idea, I think, up front – especially when you do these team run periods.

“It does make a difference to put the pads on. I think the guys are excited to do that.”

Caldwell, speaking for the second time during ’22 camp, discussed how Jaguars coaches and players are working to improve the defense’s ability to force turnovers and create sacks. The Jaguars created an NFL-low nine takeaways in 2021.

“We just talk about it, and put it on their minds,” Caldwell said. “We just want guys running to the ball, hustling to the ball. Turnovers come in bunches. They’ll take care of themselves once we’re out there on the field.

“We just try to make it a focus point of ours and let the players understand that’s what we want them to accomplish. We teach them the technique to play fast and physical. That’s when turnovers come.”

The Jaguars on Saturday worked for about one hour, 40 minutes. They worked two special teams periods along with multiple sessions of 11-on-11 work including two-minute drive situations.

With Caldwell speaking before practice Saturday, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence spoke after practice. Coverage of those availabilities can be…