NFL News: Jaguars HC Liam Coen makes major admission after departure of key weapons for Trevor Lawrence

As part of the significant restructuring currently underway for the Jacksonville Jaguars, two key weapons for Trevor Lawrence have left for the upcoming NFL season. Liam Coen, the team’s new head coach, addressed what it means to lose these important players heading into the future.

Both Christian Kirk and Evan Engram decided to seek new opportunities this NFL season, with Kirk joining the Houston Texans, while the tight end finalized his move to the Denver Broncos. According to the head coach, both players will be significant losses for the team.

“It’s always hard letting go of good football players. I have a ton of respect for both of those guys. They’ve done some really good things here. Those were not easy decisions. Ultimately, you hate to let go of good football players, but production, right? Those guys did have a good amount of targets, receptions, some critical plays in different moments of different years,” Coen said on Monday to the press.

Despite this, Liam Coen has confidence in the work that Trevor Lawrence can do with Brian Thomas Jr., along with having former Penn State player Parker Washington on the roster as well.

Head coach Liam Coen of the Jacksonville Jaguars speaks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“So, there’s some chemistry, some camaraderie there I’m sure that we have to continue to work on, but I think you saw what BT and Trevor were able to do last year, and then obviously with some of the guys like [WR] Parker Washington had a great connection, and you start to see some of these guys evolve,” the Jaguars HC said.

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He finally concluded: “We’re like, okay, this allows us to do some different things within our roster structure and feel confident where it’s going moving forward.”

The key additions for the Jaguars

Despite the departures of Engram and Kirk, Liam Coen’s team made significant reinforcements during this free agency, something the head coach made sure to highlight in his conversation with the press.

“I think if you look with the four OL, those guys at the end of the day with [OL Patrick] Mekari, [OL] Chuma Edoga, [OL] Robert Hainsey and obviously [OL Fred] Johnson, these guys love to play the game. They love what it’s about to be an O-lineman. That’s kind of who they are at the core. Hainsey’s been in the system, so now you have two O-linemen that have been in your system or some version of it with [OL] Luke Fortner and now Hainsey. That’ll help spread out to a lot of our players. They’ll be able to understand system a little bit quicker, and coaches it’s going to help in so many different ways.”

You look at obviously the OL, and then obviously on the offensive side as well you add a receiver with [WR] Dyami Brown getting some speed. Somebody else that can go down the field so BT [WR Brian Thomas Jr.] is not always having to be that guy on the top shelf. On the defensive side, you really look at [CB] Jourdan Lewis to be able to bring another veteran defensive back in there to help settle things down in the back end, increasing competition with [S] Eric Murray. I think we’ve done a nice job with being able to get those players that’ll help settle things in and be able to create that balanced football flow that we’re looking for.”