Travon Walker's versatility is on full display at Jaguars camp

The best word to describe Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Travon Walker is probably disruptor.

The fifth-year pass rusher lived up to the moniker on Day 6 of training camp as he beat offensive tackle Walker Little for a would-be sack and forced quarterback Trevor Lawrence to throw an errant pass directly to safety Antonio Johnson.

It's something Walker has routinely done throughout camp: cause problems for Jacksonville's offense as they try to prevent him from forcing his way into the backfield.

“Obviously, you’re going to have those ebbs and flows throughout camp days," Walker said after practice on Aug. 4. "You’re going to win reps, you’re going to lose some reps, but I mean, it's all a part of camp. You're here to get better.”

Tracking

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Last season was up-and-down for the former top overall pick from the 2022 NFL Draft. He suffered a dislocated wrist in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers, sidelining him for a game as he got surgery to fix the issue.

Even after he returned, he was forced to wear a club to protect his limb and lost a key factor of his pass rush as he never had the power of two working arms. Still, he battled through that injury.

Then in Week 11 he picked up a knee injury that sidelined him for several games and forced him to wear a bulky brace. He noted by season's end it was the most injuries he'd ever dealt with in his football life, but never made an excuse.

The Jaguars signed Walker to a contract extension this offseason, despite the injury battles. Now, he's back healthy and working towards getting back on the upwards trajectory he was on prior to last year.

"Obviously from last year, I had an injury, so I was playing through some things," Walker said. "Now I'm just getting back into that rhythm that I left off at.”

Travon Walker's versatility is on full display as Jaguars move him around

Every year since being drafted the defensive coaching staff has flirted with the idea of playing Walker inside. It's the position he played in college and would create unique matchup issues for offensive linemen.

But early in camp, the Jaguars have not been shy about Walker lining up in different positions. Sometimes he's on the edge, sometimes he's kicked inside. It causes opposing offenses to have to account for one more chess piece on the board.

"I feel like if you can move pieces around, especially an individual player along wherever," Walker said. "The offense won't be able to ID where he's going to be every play, so it’s definitely going to keep them guessing as well.”

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In chess, the fastest way to win is called the "Fool's Mate" and it only takes two moves. Well, the Jaguars have a way to win quick themselves.

When Walker and fellow pass rusher Josh Hines-Allen are on the same side, it'll create matchup problems for opponents. But not necessarily for the reason's you'd think. Obviously, if the two of them are next to each other, the other team will automatically think that the rush will be heavier on that side.

And it will, but if the opponents over-account for the duo, it'll free a rush from somewhere else, which will play into the ultimate goal. To make the other team as uncomfortable as possible.

"Man, that definitely could be disruptive," Walker said. "But I feel like if I'm with anybody on this defensive line, I feel like we're going to be disruptive regardless.”

The Jaguars had a successful year overall despite Walker's injury battles. Still, they haven't received much attention aside from Travis Hunter's return to the field.

But it's something Walker has grown accustomed to and isn't worried about the outside noise. He means that in a literal sense as well, noting that he isn't concerned with the ongoing renovations to EverBank Stadium.

He's focused inward, hoping to set himself up well for a bounce back year.

“Man, I've been here five years," he said. "Throughout those five years, we've had some ups and downs. ... We’re not worried about anything in the past. We’re just steadily trying to continuously improve every day."

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travon Walker's versatility is on full display at Jaguars camp