JACKSONVILLE – He's back, healthy and really happy.

Dawuane Smoot 's story is an uplifting one. It's also a relatively rare one. Know this about Smoot: He appreciates being part of that story, and he's in a good place early in the Jaguars' 2025 regular season.

"It definitely feels like right thing," he said.

Smoot, a nine-year veteran defensive end, joined senior writer John Oehser for this 2025 Week 3 O-Zone Podcast. He discussed multiple topics, including what he considers a special feeling around what he sees as an ascending team.

"It's a new young energy," Smoot said. "They're bringing in a 'we-just-don't-care' kind of energy and that's a good thing. It's about style of play and how we come together as a team. That's different. You see that in the winning locker rooms.

"It's a

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