Arik Armstead's Return From PUP Set to Boost Jaguars' Defense

The Jacksonville Jaguars got one of their best players off the PUP list this week in Arik Armstead.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead (91) walks to be interviewed after a combined NFL football training camp session between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Duval Devout’s preseason excitement increased this week with the activation of defensive tackle Arik Armstead from the PUP list. While he didn’t participate in joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wednesday, the former San Francisco 49er spoke to media after practice. 

As a nine-year NFL veteran, his contribution as a mentor on the sideline still brings plenty of value to a team trying to develop into a champion – a feat that Armstead believes this team is capable of. “We have a talented group. I wouldn’t have signed here if I didn’t feel I was coming to a team that has a real opportunity to win a Super Bowl”. 

Though rookies like Mason Smith and Jordan Jefferson are trying to learn the speed of the game to become a successful player in the league, Armstead’s favorite piece of advice he’s offered to teammates during this offseason has nothing to do with “X”’s and “O”’s.

“There’s a lot of things I’ve learned throughout my career. I feel like I’ve been in a lot of different situations. . . “, said Armstead after practice Wednesday. “. . . The main thing I remind everybody is that you have a short window. Our [NFL] careers aren’t long and you want to take full advantage of everything and give it your all. . . This season we have one opportunity as this group as whole to make our impact and let people know what we’re about and then it’s over with”.

The Jags’ defensive franchise player and single-season sack record holder Josh Hines-Allen heaped high praise upon his new teammate comparing him to former Jaguar Calais Campbell.

“[Arik] is a big, big human being who needs space who can also win in little spaces as well”, said Hines-Allen. The only difference is the communication he had with Campbell to make adjustments on the fly just before the snap. Should Hines-Allen and Armstead manage to build that, it would certainly be a challenging team-up for offenses to challenge.

Armstead represents a significant upgrade in the middle of the defensive line. If he remains healthy the Jags run defense has a veteran presence to stop the run, flush the quarterback out of the pocket, or absorb blocks for Foye Oluokun and the linebacker corps to make plays.

---

• Follow and like us on Facebook.
• Submit your questions for our mailbag.
• Subscribe to the Jaguars On SI Podcast on Apple and Spotify.
• Check out the Jaguars On SI YouTube Channel.