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New Jaguars DL Arik Armstead ready to make impact for city of Jacksonville in 2024
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- New Jaguars DL Arik Armstead ready to make impact for city of Jacksonville in 2024
Though a first-year player for the Jacksonville Jaguars , defensive lineman Arik Armstead is already adjusting well to his new city and new team.
The 10-year NFL veteran has been very active this offseason since making the move from San Francisco , where he began his career with the 49ers, to Jacksonville.
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He made a trip to Publix to try their famous subs and documented it on his social media platforms. And the Jaguars' social team released video of Armstead, pass rusher Josh Hines-Allen and linebacker Foye Oluokun meeting and getting to further know each other.
"It's been great getting used to the city. Meeting my new teammates and coaches," Armstead said at the conclusion of OTAs. "It's been a great transition. Excited about this year. Excited about the team we have. I think we have an amazing team that can accomplish a lot this year. And these are the building blocks for it."
During OTAs, Armstead took note of former No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker and offered up a major compliment to the pass rusher. He said Walker could rise to become the best edge rusher in the league.
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But it's not just Walker, Armstead has been impressed with many of his new teammates.
Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson (25) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) and defensive end Arik Armstead (91) during the second quarter at TIAA Bank Field Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the San Francisco 49ers during a regular season NFL game. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
"We have some great guys on the team. Some great guys on the defense and it's definitely a family feel here, which has been great," he said. "Getting to know them and being able to hang out with them. We've been talking about this year and how continuity is going to be huge for us and sticking together and trusting one another."
Armstead was brought in by the team as a part of the group of free agent signings who could serve dual purpose for the franchise. They're valued players on the field, but they also bring a veteran presence and leadership the Jaguars lacked last season.
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"Not so much in training camp, I'm looking down in December and January, what it looks like toward the end of the season. So you don't have what happened last year happen again," head coach Doug Pederson said of Armstead during OTAs. "You need guys like that. I can only say so much but when you turn it over to the players and the guys that have been there, done that, it means more coming from them."
'Be myself': Armstead entering new team with same mindset
Jaguars director of football communications Dylan Morton talks with Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead (91) at the end of the organized team activity session Monday, June 3, 2024 at EverBank Stadium's Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla.
Armstead is entering unchartered territory in his career. For nine years he was with the same team, making an impact on and off the field in the Bay Area.
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He appeared in 116 games with the Niners, recording 177 solo tackles, 33.5 sacks and three forced fumbles on the field
Armstead has been on Super Bowl teams and anchored some of the best defensive units in the league. He's also a four-time Walter Payton Man of the Year award nominee, regarded as the most prestigious honor in the sport.
As he transitions into a new phase of his career, his approach is going to be from the same place that led him to all the success he's seen so far.
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 12: Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates a sack by Javon Hargrave #98 of the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
"My mindset is to just be myself. I think that's gotten me this far and meeting new people, I want to be myself. Be authentic," he said. "I don't believe in coming from a place and coming here and being like, 'Oh, this is how we did it there,' and blah, blah, blah."
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While being himself, Armstead understands the position he was placed into by joining the Jaguars. He understands the roster is largely unproven and he's going to be leaned upon for leadership, especially by younger players.
With a new defensive coordinator in Ryan Nielsen , the actual on-field play is still largely unknown. The offseason provided hints and crumbs of what the scheme will look like, but until actual competition it's all speculative.
Nielsen has talked about versatility and allowing players freedom to play multiple positions. Armstead is someone who could see success in that role, lining up on the edge and inside the defensive line.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead (91) talks with defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen during an organized team activity Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla.
"We have a great team," Armstead continued. "What it's going to always boil down to is execution and discipline in situations when you're trying to reach new heights."
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Those new heights won't come easy. With the AFC South reloading this offseason and the Jaguars looking to reclaim the title, there's going to be struggles.
Offensively, Houston added pieces like Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon , the Titans added Calvin Ridley , and the Colts are looking forward to entering the season with a healthy backfield of Anthony Richardson and Jonathon Taylor for the first time.
But Armstead is looking forward to riding the waves and helping his new team reach the pinnacle.
"There's gonna be a lot of adversity along the way and how do you respond to that, to get over that hump," Armstead said. "That's what we're all excited to try to do this season and moving forward with our team. I have experience doing that.
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"I've been 2-14 in this league, and I've been 13-3 and gone to a Super Bowl, so I know what I know what it looks like. I've been part of that journey of getting over that hump and I'm excited to try to help do that here."
Third and Long: Armstead grows in podcasting space
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 21: Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers takes the field prior to the game against the New York Giants at Levi's Stadium on September 21, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Earlier this offseason, Armstead hosted Hines-Allen on his podcast, Third and Long, from inside of EverBank Stadium to talk about goals and expectations for the upcoming season.
He entered the podcasting space before the 2023 season began and has continued to grow in the audio media forum. According to Armstead, he wanted to start podcasting for several reasons.
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"I'm always challenging myself to do things out of my comfort zone," he began. "Challenge myself if I have an idea, I want to do something, to put a plan in place and get it done. So I had an idea that I wanted to do a podcast."
Another reason for the podcast was to give a first-hand perspective of what happens on the football field. That's especially in relation to what happens in Armstead's games or regarding things pertaining to his team.
"I was really just tired of getting online, getting on social media, and just content being generated about me and my team," he continued. "I know the real. I know what's going on. I'm just kind of tired of, everything. Whenever I get online is someone talking about me, or my situation or my team or my teammates, and not me or someone from within doing that."
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And lastly, he wanted to teach people the game of football.
"I wanted to teach them the game, I wanted to show a different side," he said. "Show people what's going on in my head out there and what really happened out there between those white lines."
Armstead isn't the first professional athlete to start a podcast while still actively playing and he likely won't be the last. But for him, he's proud of the progress he's made in the space and is looking forward to his continued growth.
"I've been getting better at articulating that and what's been going on out there," he said. "I just wanted to bring people closer to the game and be a new voice and a new presence in the space."
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Juston Lewis is a Jacksonville Jaguars beat reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on the website formerly known as Twitter at @JustonLewis_ .
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Arik Armstead is acclimating to Jacksonville, new teammates
