Liam Coen talks about how Jourdan Lewis has contributed off the field despite his absence on the field. He also speaks about the recently-signed Keith Taylor who will take over for Lewis as the slot corner.
The talk this week from Jaguars camp has centered on the injury suffered by cornerback Jourdan Lewis and the signing of his replacement, Keith Taylor, who was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs last season when they went to the Super Bowl.
Lewis also played earlier this season with the Atlanta Falcons.
While fans and analyst maybe concerned with the change, head coach Liam Coen didn’t seem to be.
Lewis was injured last week against the Colts. He broke his foot and will be out for the rest of the season.
Lewis primarily played slot corner for Jacksonville, suiting up for 12 games. He accounted for 39 total tackles (21 solos), 10 pass breakups, and two interceptions. Lewis' 10 pass breakups were tied for the most on the team with linebacker Foye Oluokun and corner Montaric Brown.
The Jags signed Taylor to help spell Lewis for the remainder of the season and the playoffs.
"Always hard when you lose a leader, elite communicator, guy that brings energy and focus and playmaking to our defense," Cohen said during his remarks to the media. "That's always hard, but he's handled it like a pro. He's been extremely confident with the guys around him, continuing to try to pour into them as much as possible,"
Lewis may not be able to participate on the field, but he could still help off the field. He has been a player/coach, helping the younger players understand their assignments.
"Already has, to be honest (helping the players). With just his positive energy being in the training room, no long face and woe is me, just not the type of guy that he is," Coen said. "He'll definitely help us."
Coen said Lewis is trusted throughout the locker room and when he speaks, the players take notice.
"There's no question, throughout the stretch, and as we go, so the guys all trust and they all believe in him," Coen said. "He'll have great guidance for all those guys that are playing in the backend and be able to continue to contribute that way."
Lewis also leads by example. He gave the defensive backs a lot of good tape to watch with this performances this season.
"Every opportunity he's continued to get better, and has made some huge plays for us this year," Coen said. "His play energy is always something that I appreciate, and he's tackled at a high level, especially in space."
Coen had high praise for Taylor, who is a veteran who can step right in and perform.
"Continuing to get him moving in the right direction, and we're going to need him down the stretch,” Coen concluded.
The Jaguars' defense has been one of the top defenses in the league. Although Taylor has experience in the secondary, they will still miss Lewis’s presence between the white lines.
Taylor will gain some valuable experience in the next two games and get ready for the playoffs.