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After getting off to an 8-3 start in 2023, the Jaguars lost five of their last six games to finish 9-8 and miss the playoffs.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence lost each of his last five starts, missing the Week 16 victory over the Panthers. In that five-game stretch, he completed 62 percent of his throws for 1,270 yards with nine touchdowns, seven interceptions, and three lost fumbles. He also took 10 sacks.

Beginning the offseason program this week, Lawrence said in his press conference that he found plenty to take away from last year — both good and bad.

“It was obviously a disappointing season, some of the stuff I said after the year, but I think just being removed from it, it’s a lot easier to see the good after the fact,” Lawrence said. “Not necessarily the good things that happened but use the bad things as good to make yourself better moving forward.

“There’s just so many things that I learned last season, whether it’s trying to stay healthy and dealing with some things that I haven’t had to deal with in my career or not playing as consistent as I wanted to have played to finish the year, to whatever it may be. Maybe that means some expectations that we had for ourselves as a team, not playing well in big games, all these things that have gone through my head.”

Lawrence added that while it’s difficult to see the big picture in the moment, being removed from the day-to-day action of the season has given him some clarity.

“I’m thankful for that, all the difficult times in my career — I think back to my rookie season — [have] made me a lot better for it,” Lawrence said. “You just have to use it, so that’s what I plan to do from last season. I think our approach as a team, too — it’s a waste if you don’t use it. You went through that experience and then you don’t use it, it’s double bad because it sucked going through it and you didn’t get better from it.

“I think that’s our mindset, that’s my mindset moving forward and so many things to learn from.”

Lawrence, who is eligible for a contract extension, finished 2023 with a 66 percent completion rate, passing for 4,016 yards with 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Travon Walker finds renewed determination after Josh Allen's record-setting deal

Jacksonville Florida Times-Union

Travon Walker did not want to rest for a minute longer last Wednesday.

In anticipation of next season, Walker has been working out at the Exos Sports Performance Center in Frisco, Texas. He's working to sharpen his craft just as he did during his pre-draft process and into his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Even though Walker is coming off of a 10-sack season, he still feels he has more to do.

"For me, mainly going back out there to Texas to train at Exos puts me back in that mindstate of going into the league. I still have a chip on my shoulder, I'm nowhere near where I want to be," Walker told the Times-Union last week via a phone interview.

Walker has dealt with plenty of criticism throughout his time in Jacksonville. After being selected with the first-overall pick, his rookie season left some to be desired for some onlookers. He tallied just 3.5 sacks. Compared to the second-overall pick, Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson's 9.5-sack season... yeah, there was some work to be done in their eyes.

The work paid off, paying major dividends to Jacksonville's defense, especially down the final stretch of the year. Walker tallied five sacks in the final four games of the year.

There wasn't a special sauce or anything fancy.

He, quite simply, won. From all over the field.

"I feel like last year I was playing a lot faster, I wasn't thinking as much. Just doing what I do best," Walker said. "There's no call that a [defensive coordinator] could call to put me in a position to make plays. It's just beat the man in front of me and continue to make plays."

Walker put together a respectable season, tallying 10 sacks, 52 total tackles, 19 quarterback hits and two pass breakups. Still, he's striving for more.

Walker did not want to rest for a minute longer on Wednesday, and it wasn't just because he was looking to break a sweat.

Last week, the Jaguars rewarded Walker's running mate, Josh Allen, with a five-year, $150 million contract.

Money well-deserved:Jaguars, OLB Josh Allen agree to franchise-record 5-year, $150 million contract extension

That'll wake anyone up.

'It meant a lot to me': Travon Walker draws inspiration from Allen's success

Walker was scheduled to take a rest day off of his intense workout regime in Texas. That changed quickly after it was reported that Allen would be staying in Jacksonville for quite a while longer.

"Travon called me and he said he had the day off but he went to go workout because that motivated him, seeing what I got motivated him," Allen said shortly after signing a deal that'll guarantee him upwards of $88 million.

Allen's hard work paid off. After three straight seasons with fewer than 10 sacks, the quarterbacks finally began to fall after they'd narrowly escaped Allen's grasp in years prior.

Allen finished the year with 17.5 sacks, earning an initial-roster Pro Bowl nod and his new, healthy contract from Jacksonville.

Walker said it's easy to draw some motivation from Allen getting rewarded. Shoot, they essentially play the same position, he said.

"Seeing someone who is very identical to me, working toward the same goal, we're doing the same workouts, our schedule's the same. Him being able to put himself in that position, it really meant a lot to me because it seems like everything's come full circle and I feel that's motivation itself," Walker said, adding that it's not necessarily about the money itself.

"He's somewhere where he's happy, he's not being put out to somewhere else, the organization is taking care of him," said Walker. "I'm proud of him and obviously [it] motivated me just to continue following in his footsteps. Obviously, he's doing something right."

Walker won't be the only player in the Jaguars' locker room noticing the team's investment in Allen's hard work, either. It means a lot, Walker said.

"[It] shows you that all the hard work and dedication don't go unnoticed," said Walker.

"They always say you're under a microscope in this game that we play so everything that [Allen] did leading up to [his contract extension] didn't go unnoticed. For the franchise, the organization to [do] that, it really means a lot to a lot of the other guys that obviously want to continue the teaching and do the same thing and be consistent in what they're doing to help the team grow and help themselves grow."

Allen's hard work didn't go unnoticed by the Jaguars nor has it gone unnoticed by Walker, who has seen it up close.

From the minute Walker stepped foot into the Jaguars' locker room in 2022, Allen took him under his wing. Like a little brother, said Walker.

"Some players try to withhold information, trying to get into their next contract or whatever to better themselves, but he's never been that type, he's always been one of those guys, an open book. Whatever he's doing, he wanted me to be right there with him and I feel like that just helped the chemistry between me and him on the field," said Walker.

"Besides on-the-field stuff, he's just one of those guys I like to be around, a family guy, that's how I am. We're wired the same."

Allen's work ethic rubs off on other players.

"It's all paying off for him. He's the first one on the field before practice, doing a little extra. He gets me to come out there with him. Seeing him be the first on the field, one of the last people to leave the facility at night, it just all goes to show why he got what he just got," said Walker.

'One of those years': Travon Walker excited for growth under Ryan Nielsen

Walker's inspiration drawn from Allen isn't something new. It's just another part of his growth that's happened over the last two seasons.

Though he had a nice season last year, he's not satisfied.

"I feel like I took some major steps, but it's still a lot to come. I'm obviously continuously learning. I want to be a student of the game of football. I love just the mindset of playing the game of football. I want to know every little detail, any little type of detail that I can correct. There's always room for improvement," Walker said.

Walker's ascension to the No. 1 spot in the NFL Draft didn't come by accident. He was a dominant player at Georgia during his time there. There was a learning curve in the NFL, though, and now the punishing defender is finally getting his feet settled.

Even with defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen joining the team, Walker said he's going back to the drawing board, building off of what he has learned since entering the league in 2022.

"I'm excited. From all the guys that he's had and coached, I've talked with a lot of those guys, [including] [New Orleans Saints defensive lineman] Cam [Jordan]," said Walker.

"Even though I haven't been in Jacksonville, I've been on the phone with [Nielsen]. I can tell that he's buying into me as well, trying to learn me as a player. Things that I like, things that I don't like. I feel like that type of relationship you have with a [defensive coordinator], I feel like that can go a long way with the whole defense in general."

Though much of the team's defensive coaching staff will be different, outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey was retained and has been instrumental in Walker's development over the last two seasons.

"I'm excited to see him returning," Walker said of Shuey. "Just for the simple fact that he's one of those guys that's a very understanding guy. He knows every day isn't gonna be perfect. Seeing him grow and flourish as an outside linebackers coach, because it was a little new to him [in that scheme], [it's like] we're growing together."

There's a long time until the start of the 2024 season for Walker and the Jaguars, but it's clear that through inspiration, growth, knowledge, self-motivation and adaptability, Walker is headed for much greener pastures in his future.

"I just feel like this season is one of those years. I'm a lot more comfortable playing in the NFL. There's not much thought going into my pre-snap, like what am I supposed to be doing on this play? I understand the game of football. It's only so many things that, as an outside linebacker, defensive end, whatever you want to say, can do," Walker said.

"So, with that, I just feel like the sky's the limit. Obviously, I want to top everything I did last year. I personally just want to continuously steadily improve, so just looking for improvement in every area from flexibilities to numbers to whatever."

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82.

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If Jacksonville City Council member Rory Diamond is correct, Duval County is in for a lot more discussions similar to one that took place April 2 before the Council Land Use and Zoning Committee over plans to build 65 town houses in a neighborhood in East Arlington.

The technical reason for the discussion involved a proposed land use map amendment and rezoning for the development, at 12636 and 12640 Ivylena Road.

The broader context was whether the committee would endorse what Diamond called a “classic missing middle” development that would provide new housing options between single-family homes and high-density projects like residential towers and multiple-building apartments.

The “missing middle” is a frequent topic at City Hall amid Jacksonville’s growth. As more residents come into the community, and as rising home prices and high mortgage interest rates push home ownership out of reach for newcomers and longtime residents alike, decision-makers are increasingly looking for ways to foster alternatives to single-family homes.

Neighborhood pushback

The solutions aren’t always easy or well-received, as the April 2 meeting showed.

In a discussion that lasted three hours and seven minutes, several residents complained that the town homes would create traffic and safety problems, noise and clutter in what is now a natural area filled with wildlife just beyond their backyards.

Some called the two-story town homes an invasion of their privacy, saying the top floors of the new structures would provide an up-close view of their backyards. The project site is currently zoned rural residential.

Diamond, who told neighbors that he was familiar with the area and visited it frequently, said he understood their concerns and commended them for being “articulate and passionate.”

“The argument on the other side of the coin … is that there’ll be 65 families who are not in the room because we don’t know who they are yet who will eventually live in these homes if this is approved. And we have to think about them also,” he said.

In the end, Diamond and all six of his colleagues on the committee voted in favor of the project with several new conditions attached.

Among them were that the town homes would have no second-floor balconies, that one unit would be removed and that an 8-foot fence be placed between the town homes and neighboring homes.

The vote advanced the item to the full Council, but Diamond said he expected to see more similar to it in the future.

“This is what’s coming to Jacksonville,” he said. “This is the future and it’s unavoidable because we have to have more housing in Jacksonville because it’s becoming unaffordable. So it’s a supply-and-demand argument.”

Seeking solutions

The LUZ meeting came a day after the Council Special Committee on Homelessness and Affordable Housing also discussed missing middle housing.

That committee, which was created by Council President Ron Salem in October 2023, asked city staff to provide information on the cost, scope and timeline of a study to identify areas of the city that would be suitable for higher-density zoning.

Council member Jimmy Peluso, a committee member, said the zoning changes were needed due to barriers to home ownership.

“We need more options, and it’s only going to harm the next generation of Jacksonville residents if we’re not doing our job as a body to make sure that we’re offering those options,” he said.

City staff reported that 91% of the land zoned residential in those areas is now restricted to single-family usage, limiting the amount of property that can be developed with missing middle housing.

The study would focus on two areas that together essentially comprise the portions of Duval County that were developed before the consolidation of city and county government in 1968.

Across those two areas, current zoning laws allow for an increase to 30 units an acre from 20 units on parcels through normal city processes.

For properties zoned low-density residential, a study is required for Council to raise the density to a target of 15 units per acre from the current 7 acres.

Council member Joe Carlucci, chair of the special committee, said the goal of the study would be to identify areas where increased density would be appropriate.

Criteria for that determination include whether properties are on or near collector or arterial roads, are in locations already characterized by a variety of land uses and are close to mass transit.

Any changes in density regulations would not apply to areas with their own zoning overlays, such as Downtown and San Marco.

At the committee’s direction, staff will determine the cost of the study and how long it would take to conduct it in-house versus working with an outside consultant.

The special committee’s last scheduled meeting is April 22, ahead of a May 1 deadline to report its findings and make recommendations.

Seeking options

Both the Council and Mayor Donna Deegan’s office are working to expand housing options, including for lower-income residents.

According to the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors, the median sales price of homes in the county was $349,000 in February, the last month for which statistics were available.

That was 68% higher than the price five years ago – $207,200 in February 2019.

Rent also is rising in the area. A recent study by rent.com showed that Jacksonville experienced the sixth-largest increase in rent in the past year among 50 cities across the U.S.

The study showed that rent increased 8.2% in Jacksonville in the past year to a median of $1,781 per month.

As developers look for properties where they can fill the missing middle or build affordable housing, or both, they’ve landed on parcels near single-family neighborhoods in several areas of Jacksonville.

The issue was the subject of another lengthy LUZ meeting in February, when the Council had a heated discussion about a proposed workforce housing apartment building along Biscayne Boulevard in Council member Reggie Gaffney Jr.’s district.

That project also drew out dozens of neighbors, who raised concerns about trash, crime, traffic and a negative effect on their property values.

The committee, and later the full Council, advanced the project on split votes over Gaffney’s objections.

In explaining their votes in favor of the project, some Council members referenced affordable-housing projects and town homes that were built in their districts and said more housing options were needed in all parts of the city.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax’s First Alert Weather Team is tracking near-record highs before some weekend showers.

According to First Alert Meteorologist Corey Simma, it’s another mild morning with temperatures in the 60s. Those temperatures will climb into the 90s in the afternoon making it another hot day for Jacksonville.

Simma says Saturday will be about the same except a few showers will move into Southeast Georgia in the evening and night.

WATCH THE FORECAST | DOWNLOAD THE APPS

The rain will be moving in with a cold front and will move into Northeast Florida on Sunday.

The best chance for rain will be Sunday evening or night into Monday morning. The rain, however, shouldn’t be widespread, and rain totals won’t amount to much.

Temperatures will be cool after the rain on Monday.

Action News Jax’s First Alert Weather Team will continue to monitor the forecast and will bring you updates throughout the day.

Follow Action News Jax Meteorologists on Twitter for updates:

Mike Buresh | Garrett Bedenbaugh | Corey Simma | Trevor Gibbs

Here’s a look at your First Alert 7-Day Forecast:

TODAY: Partly to Mostly Sunny & Hot! High: 91 (Record: 92 – 1995)

TONIGHT: Mild. Low: 65

LISTEN: Mike Buresh ‘All the Weather, All the Time’ Podcast

SAT: Partly Sunny & Hot! (PM GA Showers) High 91/Low 65 (Record: 92 – 1995)

SUN: Partly Cloudy, Isolated Shower. High 89/Low 64

MON: Morning Showers, Partly Cloudy & Cooler. High 74/Low 63

TUE: Mostly Sunny. High 77/Low 52

WED: Mostly Sunny & Nice! High 81/Low 55

THU: Partly Sunny. High 85/Low 60

INTERACTIVE RADAR: Keep track of the rain as it moves through your neighborhood

SHARE WITH US: Send us photos of the weather you’re seeing in your area

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Special teams were the difference, as the Jacksonville Icemen scored three power-play goals and added an empty-net shorthanded goal to defeat the Florida Everblades 4-0 in the opening game of the South Division Semifinal series Thursday night at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Jacksonville leads the best-of-seven series one game to none.

A physical first period nearly resulted in a scoreless frame to open the series,but Jacksonville’s Christopher Brown converted on the power play at the 19:05 mark to give the Icemen a 1-0 lead. The home team outshot the Everblades by a 10-7 count in the opening frame, with Blades goaltender and defending two-time Kelly Cup Playoff MVP Cam Johnson turning aside nine of 10 shots over the first 20 minutes.

The Everblades turned up the offensive intensity in the middle frame, outshooting Jacksonville by a 14-10 count, but could not draw even despite a whole host of golden opportunities. While Johnson was perfect, stopping all 10 shots he faced in the second stanza, Jacksonville netminder Matt Vernon returned to his All-ECHL Second Team form, stopping all 14 Florida shots he faced in the second period, after struggling to a 0-4-1-0 mark with a 5.67 GAA across five regular-season appearances in April.

Olivier Nadeau doubled Jacksonville’s lead just 2:39 into the third period, as he scored the Icemen’s second power-play goal of the contest to give the home team a 2-0 lead. The Icemen added an empty-net shorthanded goal by Jerry D’Amigo (16:59) and a power-play goal by Derek Lodermeier (17:54) to close out the scoring,

Jacksonville outshot Florida 30-28 on the night. Enjoying five more power-play opportunities than the Everblades, the Icemen were 3-for-7 on the power play, while the Blades went 0-for-2 on the man advantage.

Vernon stopped all 28 shots he faced for Jacksonville, while Johnson turned aside 26 of 29 shots for the Blades.

Game Two of the best-of-seven series will take place in Jacksonville on Sunday, April 21 at 3:00 p.m. The Everblades will host Game Three, the first of three potential home games in the series, on Wednesday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear white for all opening-round games at Hertz Arena as a nod to the Blades’ first Kelly Cup title in 2012, and can take advantage of a special postseason Hump Day Deal on Wednesday with $3.00 beers and hot dogs available throughout the game. Visit floridaeverblades.com for more information on the Kelly Cup Playoffs presented by Lexus and to purchase tickets.

With Everblades match report