The Jacksonville Jaguars had one of the weakest pass rushes in the NFL last season. The Jags went into this off-season knowing they needed to improve drastically in that area to be taken seriously. Coach Gus Bradley‘s team improved this area through the draft. They added much needed depth in players with pass rush ability. Their big prize in free agency was Malik Jackson who should bring much needed talent into the interior of the Jaguars defense. Below is a look at how things are shaping up for the Jacksonville Jaguars defenisve line heading into the 2016 season.
Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Line Projections
Left Defensive End
Jared Odrick
Jared Odrick signed a large free agent deal with the Jaguars last off-season to play the “big end” role in the Jaguars defensive scheme. His main job is to stop the run and that’s exactly what he did last season. For a good chunk of the season the Jaguars were a very good run defending team until they started to wear down and got hit with the injury bug as the season went on. Odrick figures to continue to be the main big end on defense going into 2016.
Tyson Alualu
It gets a little trickier here. The Jaguars have a couple players who can play left defensive end when Odrick needs rest, but Tyson Alualu makes the most sense at this point. Alualu is going to be on the roster bubble come training camp and as preseason goes along. The former first-round draft pick of the Jaguars has talent, but he has yet to live up to expectations.
Defensive Tackle
Malik Jackson
Malik Jackson was the prized free agent acquisition by the Jaguars this off-season and he figures to slot in at 3T. His presence will be key to getting Jacksonville’s defense back on track. At 3T in this defense, Jackson is going to be a primary pass rusher which is where he excels. The former member of the Denver Broncos figures to also move out to 5T where Odrick plays on some downs when Odrick is off the field. Some say Jackson got paid a little too much and that could end up being the case, but plugging in a player of Jackson’s talent level on defense could really help the Jaguars.
Roy Miller
Often the most overlooked player on this defense, Roy Miller has been one of the most consistently good defenders the Jaguars have had over the last couple years. He is one of the better run stoppers up the middle in the game. Getting more talent around him is going to help cement that. If the Jaguars pass rush can improve they have the personnel to become a middle of the pack defense. That would be quite a jump for a defense that was a bottom feeder in 2015.
Sen’derrick Marks
Just two years ago Sen’derrick Marks finished the season with 8.5 sacks and he looked like he was on his way to becoming one of the better interior pass rushers in the game before he went down with an ACL injury that ended his season. Last year Marks spent the beginning of the season getting back to form. Unfortunately, he went down with another injury (tricep). Now, the former Auburn Tiger finally figures to be 100% healthy going into this season. If he can come close to where he was in 2014, that would be very big for the Jaguars.
Sheldon Day
Sheldon Day, the rookie out of Notre Dame fell right into the laps of the Jaguars on draft day. He has been labeled a talented inside rusher with a non-stop motor. That is just what the Jaguars needed. They spent this off-season trying to improve the pass rush from a season ago. Day has a couple of players ahead of him on the depth chart, but he is one of the youngsters fans should be excited about seeing this season. Day will probably push for more and more snaps as the season goes on.
Right Defensive End (LEO)
Dante Fowler
Dante Fowler, the third overall pick from 2015, was thought by many to be the best defensive player in that draft. The former Florida Gator missed all of the 2015 season after going down with a torn ACL. Reviews have been great this off-season and Fowler looks to have regained his explosiveness. Fowler’s health is the real key to the Jaguars having success this year as they have had little to no edge rush for years. Gus Bradley, David Caldwell, and company hope Fowler can be a big part of this defense. If he can, the Jaguars have a chance to push to win the division. That’s a lot to ask of someone in their first NFL season; but Fowler has the talent to make an impact.
Yannick Ngakoue
This year’s third round pick out of Maryland, Yannick Ngakoue, is another player known for his pass rush abilities. The former Terrapin put up good production in the Big 10 last season against some good competition. The Jaguars brass seems to be quite high on him. There’s a lot of youth on Jacksonville’s defense, especially at the edge rusher position. One of Fowler or Ngakoue, but hopefully both, need to be a solid contributor for the Jaguars defense this season.
The Jaguars also have some other solid depth players that figure to make the roster and get some snaps this season. Abry Jones and Ryan Davis have been solid young contributors when they were called upon the last couple seasons. Jacksonville just drafted Tyrone Holmes out of Montana who has some potential if he can make the jump from a small college to the NFL. Michael Bennett, a sixth-round pick from last year’s draft out of Ohio State, figures to be in the thick of things for a roster spot as well.
Only time will tell how the Jaguars and their defense perform in 2016, but this is a projection of their defensive line and some thoughts on who needs to step up this season.
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