Baalke and Pederson Detail Why the Jaguars Signed Foley Fatukasi

Why did the Jaguars add the former top-tier run defendering defensive lineman from the Jets during the first wave of free agency?

The Jacksonville Jaguars made seven major additions this past week; with the start of free agency, the Jaguars spent more than any other franchise as they threw money to starters on both sides of the ball.

But why did the Jaguars make these specific additions? What stood out to them about each player added? Thanks to comments from general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson on Wednesday, we can answer those questions.

Next up: interior defensive lineman Folorunso 'Foley' Fatukasi, who the Jaguars signed to a three-year, $30 million deal with $20 million in guaranteed money.

A former sixth-round selection out of UConn, Fatukasi has established himself as one of the league's top run-defending defensive tackles over the last few years, while also recording a career-high 16 pressures last season.

But why did the Jaguars turn to Fatukasi during the first wave of free agency after adding players such as Roy Robertson-Harris and Malcom Brown last season, especially considering Fatukasi is widely seen as primarily a run defender? 

Well, that isn't the evaluation the Jaguars -- or Fatukasi -- have about the former sixth-round pick out of Connecticut who just hit it big in his trek into the free-agent market. 

Instead, Baalke and the Jaguars see Fatukasi as a young and ascending player who has yet to hit his ceiling, both as a run-defender and as a pass-rusher.

"I think real important. I think real important. Again, after going through the process and the coaching staff in the personnel staff, looking at a run stopper -- and he's more than a run-stopper, he can play on third down, he can push the pocket and he's done that," Baalke said. 

"But getting a guy in there like him, our defensive staff really felt he was the number one guy and we made every effort to get him here."

Baalke's assessment of Fatukasi's game as a pass-rusher is one the player himself holds as well. Fatukasi has recorded just three sacks in his NFL career, including zero sacks last season and just a career-high of two in one season. 

But despite the numbers, Fatukasi believes there is more than meets the eye when it comes to his third-down potential -- just like Baalke does.

“I feel like there’s more to everybody’s game. I definitely feel like there’s more to my game and I’m definitely excited to work on it and tap into that," Fatukasi said on Thursday. 

"Like I said, all it took was for one person and a group of people to believe in me. That goes a long way when someone believes in you, so I’m definitely willing to work to see how much further I can get to my own style of play, a better style of play, a smarter style of play.”

But for as much as the Jaguars and Fatukasi want to see sacks and pass-rushing production from the newest defensive line starter, it is still clear why the Jaguars' primarily signed him -- to stop Derrick Henry and Jonathan Taylor.

The AFC South features two of the best running backs in the division and the Jaguars' run defense has lagged behind most top-half defenses for the last several seasons. With these two dynamic backs in mind, it is clear the major role Fatukasi will play is helping plug away against the run and ensuring the Jaguars are no longer getting gashed in key divisional games.

"Just look at our division, you know? And it's very important, very important to be able to stop the run," Pederson said. 

"And, look, anytime you have the ability to make an opponent one dimensional, you know, again, you look at our division, there's some really good running backs in our division. And we have to do that. That's something we have to do, and it felt like we got better there."