Josh Allen Details His First Conversation With Jaguars DC Ryan Nielsen

What did Ryan Nielsen sell Josh Allen on in their first phone conversation?

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Tyler Lacy (93) and linebacker Josh Allen (41) run into each other during drills. The Jacksonville Jaguars let most of the veterans off from participating in Monday's mandatory minicamp session held in the air conditioned enclosed field at EverBank Stadium's Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. June 10, 2024. / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY

After a career season in 2023, expectations were already sky-high for Jacksonville Jaguars' pass-rusher Josh Allen before the team hired Ryan Nielsen as defensive coordinator.

With Nielsen, a renowned defensive line coach, now in the Jaguars' corner, 2024 could prove to be an even bigger year for the Jaguars' franchise pass-rusher. And the relationship between the Jaguars' top defender and new defensive mind has already gotten off to a positive start, Allen told New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Cam Jordan in the 'Off the Edge' Podcast.

"I mean so far so good. For me, he called me and first thing he talked about when I talked on the phone was he's going forward," Allen said. "That's all I needed to hear. now put the ball in my court and let me be me and we can do that. And I think the conversation we had, he kind of lets you take control. Because I think in his defense, the ends need to be elite. Needs to be those guys. And where I am at and where my trajectory is going in my career, I can only see myself going up. So if you allow me to go, trust me that I am going to go.

Jordan played under Nielsen in New Orleans and has since passed down compliments of his former coach to other Jaguars players. And one of the first things Nielsen said when he arrived in Jacksonville rings true to exactly what Jordan and Allen discussed.

"First of all, kind of the overview of everything, is we want to be attacking and aggressive in everything that we do. How we fit the run, how we attack blocks, how we play in coverage, we want to be a forward, leaning, forward running, going forward defense," Nielsen said at his introductory press conference in February.

"You’re going to say, ‘Well, what about the secondary and back peddling?’ But, when we make our break, we’re coming out of that break to go hit you. That’s kind of the two things everyday that the players come in, we want to stress. There’s some fundamental things, tackling, takeaways, ball disruption and pursuit. That’s what we’re going to be about: tackling, takeaways, ball disruption. You have to be a good tackling defense to be a good defense. Takeaways are the number one way to limit points. Ball disruption is making the offense play not on time. We’re taking away a running lane or making a ball bounce or disrupting the quarterback. Then, pursuit, keeping the ball inside, proper angles, running and hitting. That’s what we’re going to be about, that’s what we’re going to stress. That’ll be the first thing we talk about with the guys before we even start talking scheme or stance or anything like that. We’ll start it, that’ll be our foundation and we’ll go from there.”

Allen is set to play a key role for Nielsen's unit in 2024, and the pairing of the two could determine just how far the Jaguars' defense turns around throughout the season.

"And I think the conversation we had, he kind of lets you take control. Because I think in his defense, the ends need to be elite. Needs to be those guys," Allen said.

"And where I am at and where my trajectory is going in my career, I can only see myself going up. So if you allow me to go, trust me that I am going to go."

Before Trevor Lawrence's deal last month, Allen had signed the biggest contract in franchise history this offseason, earning a five-year extension worth $141.25 million and $76.5 million in guarantees.

Allen, the No. 7 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, was the first Jaguars' first-round pick to sign an extension with the team since Blake Bortles.

Allen broke the Jaguars' rookie sack record in 2019 with 10.5 sacks before breaking the single-season sack record with 17.5 sacks in 2023. Allen was one of the NFL's most productive pass-rushers in 2023, combining with Walker for 27.5 sacks to lead all pass-rusher duos.

In five years with the Jaguars, Allen has recorded 45 sacks, 53 tackles for loss, nine forced fumbles, and two interceptions.

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