Why PFF Thinks a Justin Houston Signing Would Make Sense for the Jaguars

Would the veteran pass-rusher be the best addition the Jaguars could make before camp?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been asked questions about their pass-rush all offseason. So far, though, the Jaguars are betting on their in-house options.

Does that mean this can't change, though? 

With the Jaguars returning 21 of 22 starters from last year's playoff games vs. the Chargers and Chiefs, one of the few players the Jaguars have to replace is Arden Key, who signed a three-year, $21 million deal with $13 million in guarantees with the rival Tennessee Titans.

While the Jaguars have expressed confidence in former first-round pick K'Lavon Chaisson as the team's potential No. 3 EDGE behind Travon Walker and Josh Allen, there still remains the dwindling possibility of the Jaguars adding a pass-rusher before training camp.

With pass-rushers like Frank Clark and Leonard Floyd off the board, though, who makes the most sense today?

For Pro Football Focus, that player is former Kansas City Chief, Indianapolis Colt and Baltimore Raven pass-rusher Justin Houston. 

"While they worked on opposite sides of the ball, Houston and Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson spent three years together in Kansas City from 2013 to 2015. The Jaguars have two young top-10 picks in Travon Walker and Josh Allen, but after they lost some talent in free agency, a veteran rotational piece to get after opposing quarterbacks could go a long way for a team that should finally be playing with a lead a lot of the time," PFF said.

"Houston’s 18.4% pass-rush win rate and 14.6% pressure percentage in 2022 were both top-25 marks among edge defenders, and he managed to add 9.5 sacks to his total, which brings him to 111.5 for his career, a top-40 mark all time. For a team looking for a menace on passing downs, Houston is still that guy entering his age-34 season."

If the Jaguars don't try to add a veteran like Houston, then their pass-rush will be left to Allen, Walker, Chaisson, and other options such as 2021 fourth-rounder Jordan Smith and 2023 fifth-round pick Yasir Abdullah.

"There's good youth. You got a couple of veteran guys like like Josh and K'Lavon. So it's I think it's a good balance," outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey said this offseason.

"I do think everybody needs to take a step forward. And right now I'm pleased with the work ethic that's been shown, and the progress has made through the spring, but the spring is the spring. And you know, guys got to gotta take the next month, and still take a step forward to come back in August ready to go."