Jaguars Have a Sleeper Need Heading into the NFL Offseason

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a rather significant need heading into the NFL offseason that you may not initially consider.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) and defensive end Travon Walker (44) pray before a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 26-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a bunch of needs heading into the NFL offseason, and some of their holes are very clear.

It's obvious that the Jaguars need offensive line help. They could also afford to add some more weapons for Trevor Lawrence, and parts of their defense are a mess after a miserable 2024.

However, ESPN's Michael DiRocco has identified another need for Jacksonville that would not immediately stand out for the 2025 offseason.

The pass rush.

The Jaguars boast one of the best pass-rushing tandems in football in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, but DiRocco feels they could use more depth in that category.

"Upgrades this offseason are needed at safety, interior defensive line, cornerback, and linebacker -- and the Jaguars need to find a third pass rusher to complement Walker and end Josh Hines-Allen," DiRocco wrote. "Playmakers are scarce on that side of the ball, with no player having more than one interception or fumble recovery."

DiRocco makes a solid point.

In spite of the fierce duo of Hines-Allen and Walker, Jacksonville amassed just 34 total sacks as a team in 2024, which ranked near the bottom of the league.

Walker led the Jaguars with 10.5 sacks and Hines-Allen finished second with eight. However, no other Jacksonville players logged any more than three sacks throughout the year, with Maason Smith tallying three.

That isn't going to cut it, and it makes life much more difficult for Hines-Allen and Walker, who would face much less attention if the Jaguars had more players to apply pressure to opposing quarterbacks.

There will be a number of intriguing—and affordable—pass rushers available in free agency, and Jacksonville certainly has enough cap room to make an impactful addition.

The Jaguars thought they were doing just that last offseason when they signed Arik Armstead, but Armstead was severely underwhelming this year, managing just two sacks while playing out of position for most of the campaign (Jacksonville had him playing end instead of on the interior).

It will be difficult for the Jaguars to plug all of these holes in one offseason, but they will also have the NFL Draft in addition to free agency to rectify their issues.

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