Has Jaguars DC Ryan Nielsen Done Enough to Keep His Job?

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense struggled for most of the season but has excelled at times late this season. Has he done enough to convince the Jaguars to bring him back next season?

Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen talks with his players during the fourth day of the NFL football training camp practice session Saturday, July 27, 2024 at EverBank Stadium's Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union] / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had another disappointing season to add to the long list of similar seasons in franchise history. Last offseason, the Jaguars brought in defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen to help fix a middling defense.

Although the defense has struggled this season, Nielsen believes he has done enough for the Jaguars to bring him back next season.

“Yeah, I think so," Nielsen said. "Absolutely. First of all, we love this place. Like, man, we want to make this into the best place possible, and we're here for the long haul. That's for sure. We're in it, and no one ever said it was going to be easy, and sometimes it takes longer than a year. So, yeah, we're here. We're ready to take the next step, win this game, and then go into the offseason, and we have a plan already."

Nielsen noted that he and the rest of the Jaguars' coaching staff have already begun making plans for next season. His future with the team will be something to watch this offseason.

"We've talked about our offseason, what we're going to do, the things that we've really got to focus on, and when we get into the self-scout and some positions of how to maybe tweak some things to be better next year. It was a great learning experience. Wish we could have won some more games, for sure, especially those close ones," Nielsen said.

"There were so many close games that we had an opportunity at the end of the game, to pull one out here and there, and I think it could have changed our season, really do. But definitely think that we have a bright future with this football team here, and we've got the pieces in place, and we've just got to focus on some of the things to help us win those games next year."

"If it really comes down to, you have, even the games that we've won, mean, those are one-score games too, except one of them. So, there are quite a few one-score games, and you win a few early, and it could change the trajectory of the season, and that's kind of how we're taking the approach, and we'll continue to be positive with the guys and go into this offseason and be very positive but understand that we've got to do some things better so we can change the outcome of the games next year, for sure.”

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