The Unit That Could Make or Break Jaguars Defense

While trimming the team's roster, the Jacksonville Jaguars kept a large number of defensive linemen. Defensive Coordinator Ryan Nielsen plans to do plenty of rotating along the line this season.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson (98), defensive end Tyler Lacy (93), defensive tackle Maason Smith (94), defensive end Esezi Otomewo (90) and defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton (52) line up for 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 NETWORK

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense is under new leadership this upcoming season, as Defensive Coordinator Ryan Nielsen was hired to help improve the unit. The Jaguars finished 9-8 last season and have done an admirable job investing resources into the defensive side of the ball.

The Jaguars hope Nielsen, who got the most out of an Atlanta Falcons defense that was void of talent at many positions last season. Now in Jacksonville, with arguably better players than the Falcons’ defense had last season, the Jaguars hope he can help take the defense to another level.

The Jaguars recently kept seven interior defensive linemen after the league-wide cut-down day. Nielsen says the Jaguars did so because they want to rotate their defensive linemen to keep the unit as fresh as possible. Having plenty of depth on the defensive line in the National Football League is never a bad idea. 

“Sure. It's kind of what—we want to keep them fresh,” Nielsen said. “And keep them on a rotation where the guys are fresh into the fourth quarter. When you do that, it's instead of playing their 40th play, maybe they're at their 20th play. So, now they're ready to go in the fourth. That's when the game's on the line. You’ve got to win it. 

“So, yeah, we want to rotate. It's going to be the same. But there's some of that. When we rotate, who's got the hot hand? All that stuff kind of fits in the personnel groupings and packages that we have. That also fits in there too. But we’ve got a good group, and they’ll order to—some guys can, and we talked a little bit earlier- flex positions [and] things like that and keep them fresh into the fourth quarter.”

The Jaguars finished last season with one of the best defenses against the run in the entire league, only allowing just over 100 yards per game. The Jaguars’ defense finished ninth in the league in that category.

This upcoming season, the Jaguars aim to have similar success against the run and more success against the pass. Elevated play from the defensive line will help make that happen.

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