5 Biggest Takeaways from the Jacksonville Jaguars' OTAs

The Jacksonville Jaguars' first three days of OTAs have concluded, and all signs show that it's been a productive week. It can take a few days to get back into the swing of the NFL offseason, but the Jaguars have done well this week to not miss a beat.

Head coach Gus Bradley has been chipper and positive as usual and for good reason. There has been improvement from each day to the next, and the Jaguars are on track to start the offseason.

Bradley's practices are known for being fast-paced and intense from the second they begin to the end, and seeing the players take it in stride is a positive. As we've seen the past two seasons, the relationship between the staff and the players is continuing to blossom.

A good start on the practice field and in the locker room are what the Jaguars needed to do this opening week, and they've succeeded so far. Let's look deeper into the various takeaways of the first few days of OTAs.

Julius Thomas Is Ready for Jacksonville

John Raoux/Associated Press

Julius Thomas was the Jaguars' biggest free-agent signing in years and arguably one of the biggest of this offseason. Despite his proven talent, there were concerns that he may not be able to transition to the Jaguars.

If the first days of OTAs are any indication of what will come, that's simply not the case. Thomas has impressed the players, coaches and media with both his skill and his willingness to work, mentor and adapt to his new situation.

Head coach Bradley had this to say about Thomas on Day 2 of OTAs, according to Jaguars.com's John Oehser: “I love his mentality, love his attitude,” Bradley said, adding that Thomas “has a strong sense of leadership that he can add.”

Bradley's a nice guy, but this comment stands out. He's noticing something deeper than his play. Bradley's being impressed by his mentality is reassuring, and Thomas' positive attitude will help him make the biggest impact possible.

From the same article, Thomas is also quoted as saying: 

"

I feel like most of my career I was always looking up and learning from a lot of guys that will be in the Hall of Fame one day. That was greatly appreciated and I was happy for that. Now I’m just going to do what I can to help some more young people along.

"

Thomas is enjoying his football and embracing the new role of teaching younger players what he was taught with the Broncos in Denver, which is surely what the Jaguars hoped for. Thomas is exhibiting some seriously good football karma.

Blake Bortles Is Happy with His Progress and His Offense

John Raoux/Associated Press

Quarterback Blake Bortles had a tough rookie season, but it was an important experience that will help him in this season and in the future. He continued to work this past offseason on his mechanics and overall play, and it showed this week.

Bortles looked more confident, more consistent and just all-around improved. His improvement has come hand-in-hand with the Jaguars revamping the offense for the 2015 season, and he couldn't be happier. 

According to Jaguars.com's John Oehser, Bortles said this about his progress: “I’d say the most improvement, I guess, would have to be the throwing motion and the mechanics—tightening that up and speeding up the process.”

It's good to see he's taking steps forward, and it's even more exciting to watch the Jaguars offense move with him. It's easy to recognize, and Bortles may be seeing the progress as well as anyone:

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“What we’re doing here is something special,” Bortles said. “We’re on a track to build something that’s going to be consistent for a long time. Gus, Dave and (Owner) Shad (Khan) have provided us with an environment unparalleled in the NFL. I think we have the right guys here to flourish in that environment and take off.”

"

It's important that each player believes in the team and the philosophy, and when that translates to confidence, it only benefits the team. Bortles' being in the best mindset possible will carry over on the field and hopefully into the win column.

Zane Beadles Is Ready to Compete

John Raoux/Associated Press

One of the most talked about positional battles on the Jaguars' roster has been at guard between veteran Zane Beadles and third-round draft pick A.J. Cann. Many have been quick to say that it's Cann's job to lose, but Beadles' performance this week has said otherwise.

Beadles performed below expectations last season, and it seemed like the Jaguars may have made a mistake giving him a five-year, $30 million contract. However, according to Jaguars.com's John Oehser, Coach Bradley thinks Beadles has improved:

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“That’s hard for somebody to do when they came here as a free agent and got taken care of for what they’ve done,” Bradley said. “I appreciate what he’s done and it’s helping him. I think he’s gaining his confidence back. I think in the middle part of the season it was a little rough. He started to gain it at the end but I think he’s back now.”

"

Bradley is referencing a change in footwork, and he's completely correct when he says that it's difficult to change. At 28, Beadles is an established veteran, but he's proving that even veterans can change and improve.

If Bradley is right about his confidence as well, we could see a massive improvement in Beadles' play from last season. There are plenty of things that could have inhibited him last season, but he has to continue to show improvement this season.

Cann will be gunning for his job, and the Jaguars won't hesitate to give him the proper chance if need be. Either way, Beadles' improvement on the field and in his confidence are promising, and hopefully means that we can see the level of play that earned him a Pro Bowl selection in 2012.

Jaguars' Wide Receivers Are Getting Healthy, Improving

John Raoux/Associated Press

Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson dealt with injuries in their rookie seasons, and while that's not how you want a pro career to begin, the promise was there. Now, they are getting better with each day and working their way to getting back into OTAs.

Both are rehabbing and improving their condition and at good speed and good spirits, according to Jaguars.com's John Oehser. Robinson is expected to be back in individual drills next week, and while Lee is a few weeks out, he's determined and preparing to come right back:

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“It’s just another couple of weeks and I’ll be OK; I’ve got no worries. Last year, I sat down and moped about it, but not this year. I’m still getting my mental reps as far as watching and helping out as much as I can.”

"

For veteran receiver Ace Sanders, this offseason needed to be a big turning point, and he's off to an incredible start. Bradley and wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan have praised his play this week, and for a guy who some thought may not make it to the season, that's incredible. 

Sullivan said this about Sanders' improvement: “Ace has been really on top of his game. It looks like he’s got himself in good condition. He’s playing very fast and his consistency level is where you would hope it would be.”

It's good to see Sanders bouncing back from a rough 2014, in which he was suspended the first four games for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy and never made much of an impact. If he continues on this track, we could see Sanders getting more opportunities at WR than anyone expected a few weeks ago.

Competition and Improvement Prevalent in Week 1 of OTAs

John Raoux/Associated Press

The individual improvement mentioned in the previous slides are all just components of the bigger picture: The Jaguars are getting better, much better. It hasn't been easy going, but it's apparent that this team is levels above where it was last season.

The various quotes from the coaches and the players show that this is the case. The transition from the end of last season to the start of real offseason training has gone as well as the Jaguars could've hoped, save for Dante Fowler Jr.'s ACL tear.

This first week has seen improvement on the field, in the locker room and in the rehabilitation of players. Not many NFL teams can say that they are happy with all three of those spots.

But, what's best about this team is that it realizes it still has work to do. Throughout the week the attitude has been positive but not unfocused. It's easy to sit back and be happy with how far the team has improved, but that's not how Coach Bradley or the team feels.

Competition has been a focus of conversation this offseason and for good reason. This team has an edge that we haven't seen the past couple of years. The effort was there, but the grit and tenacity tended to disappear.

This opening week of OTAs has seen a nastier attitude. It's only the first week, and competition has been fierce—players like Sanders and Beadles have made the necessary changes to improve, and it's become apparent that each spot on the roster will be fought for.

This may not mean playoffs or even a single-loss season. But it does mean the Jaguars are becoming a team to respect, and it would be a huge mistake to underestimate them in 2015.

All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated. Predraft information courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com and NFL.com.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter at @evanreier.