REPORT: Jaguars Defensive Star Rated as League's Best in Week 2

Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen is one of the very best edge rushers in the league. He proved that again in Week 2's contest against the Cleveland Browns.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) walks in 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 Jacksonville Jaguars' 18-13 loss to the Cleveland Browns was lackluster in just about every facet of the game. The home opener was a big let down.

Both sides of the ball struggled, but if there was a standout in the game for the Jaguars is was edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen, who notched a sack and four total tackles in the contest.

A lot of what Hines-Allen does doesn't show up on the stat sheet -- his presence alone draws attention from much of the offense. Even then, he gets great penetration as well as containment on the edge.

Pro Football Focus graded Hines-Allen as the No. 1 edge rusher in Week 2, with a grade of 92.1.

Behind him were the Arizona Cardinals' Dennis Gardeck (91.9), the Detroit Lions' Aidan Hutchinson (90.9; an indomitable performance with 4.5 sacks against Tampa Bay), and Buffalo's Von Miller (90.7) among others.

Hines-Allen is likely the consensus pick for most valuable player on the Jaguars' defense. His ability against the run off the edge and as a pass rusher is severely underrated in a league full of big-name edge rushers.

Hines-Allen did not receive the recognition deserved when he tallied 17.5 sacks last season.

Our John Shipley rated Hines-Allen the No. 2 most important Jaguars player, only behind franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

"Josh Hines-Allen has already proven himself as one of the NFL's true premier pass-rushers," Shipley wrote. "Last year's 17.5-sack campaign, which broke the franchise record for single-season sacks, put his name on the map nationally, but it was merely the peak so far in what has already been a dominant career. To put it into context just how impressive Hines-Allen was in 2023, look no further than this: Hines-Allen's 17.5 sacks made up 43.75 percent of the Jaguars' entire sack total in 2023.

"No other player in football accounted for more of his team's sack total, and Hines-Allen did this while playing with a 10-sack player in Travon Walker. In short, there is no player more important to the Jaguars' pass-rush than Hines-Allen. If the Jaguars are going to get after the quarterback, then it is going to come via Hines-Allen."

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