JACKSONVILLE — Cornerback Jourdan Lewis, now in his 10th NFL season, is participating fully in Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 Training Camp after missing the final two games last season with a foot injury that sidelined him through much of the offseason rehabilitation period.
“I feel good,” Lewis said Monday after Day 5 practice at the Miller Electric Center. “It’s just about trusting it, trusting the way I break, trusting the way I process, going out there and playing. Just getting those faculties back, getting that feel back, that instinct back and putting a consistent camp together.”
Head Coach Liam Coen said Lewis’ return has been immediately noticeable. “We all notice when J-Lew’s out there,” Coen said. “He’s feisty. He brings a mentality and toughness. He had a rep the other day, in the run game, where a tight end was trying to block him. I forget which one. And he locked, shed, made the play. He just brings a mentality and toughness to our defense.”
Lewis signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent from the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2025 season and quickly emerged as a veteran leader. Cornerback Montaric Brown, who became a full-time starter last season and signed a contract extension in the offseason, credited Lewis’ influence on the secondary. “He sets the standard,” Brown said. “He makes sure we know the standard and continue to play to a high level. He always leads us and has us on the right track.”
Lewis and the rest of the secondary are adjusting to new defensive pass game coordinator Mathieu Araujo, who spent the past four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, including the last two as cornerbacks coach. “It has been kind of weird when you don’t play football, especially when you have a new defensive back coach,” Lewis said. “He’s very technical so just making sure that we get everything in individual right. Still messing it up, but just keep chopping away at it, trying to get better at it and continue to get better.”
The defense enters its second season under coordinator Anthony Campanile, continuity Lewis said should pay dividends. “We’re just building on what we did last year and we have the right staff and the right guys to go out there and compete with anybody and go out there and win a lot of games,” Lewis said. “I know how these young guys feel. I know they’re excited to be in the same system and have the right guys around them to make sure that they flourish and get better.”
Day 5 also featured a highlight from wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who made a one-handed reception down the right sideline in the rain on a deep pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Thomas, a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie in 2024, caught 47 passes for 708 yards and two touchdowns last season. “When you can throw the ball over somebody’s head, it’s a threat,” Coen said. “It’s something that we need. It elevates everybody’s game when BT is playing at his highest level.” The Jaguars practiced in pads for the first time during Day 5 despite heavy rain at the Miller Electric Center.