Dec 23, 2012; Jacksonville, FL, USA; New England Patriots Tom Brady (12) is pressured by Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Jeremy Mincey (94) during the first half of the game at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

Well known throughout the NFL for having a poor pass rush, the Jacksonville Jaguars appear to have failed to address the defensive end and rush linebacker/Leo positions in both the 2013 NFL Draft and free agency.  The Jaguars didn’t pick a player like Oregon’s versatile Dion Jordan in the first round and they focused instead on the defensive backs.  The backs will will help give the pass rushers more time to get to the quarterback, but the defensive line improved this offseason as well.

Perhaps the player who will influence the pass rush the most (and will definitely influence the run game the most) is defensive tackle Roy Miller.  Miller plays the tilt at defensive tackle, demanding a double team from the center and a guard.  His numbers (23 tackles, no sacks) don’t reveal him to be a pass rushing force, but he opens the door for other players to make the plays.

Having a player like Miller at defensive tackle may finally allow fellow defensive tackle Tyson Alualu to make more plays in the pass rush.  Alualu was drafted in the first round of the 2010 draft for his fast hands, good footwork, and his complementary abilities to a big space clogging defensive tackle in Terrance Knighton.  Alualu has not been that game changer who collapses the pocket that he was expected to be.  With someone like Miller clogging the middle more effectively than Knighton, he may see more opportunities to collapse the pocket and force the quarterback to move into the path of a defensive end.

Nov.16, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Austen Lane (92) during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins won 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The defensive end position is the glamour position along the defensive line.  They are the guys who get the sacks, ultimately make the plays, and get the credit.  The interior of the defensive line has improved and there is reason for hope that Alualu can improve with better play alongside him, but it’s the defensive ends that really needed the extra work in the offseason.  So, what did the Jaguars do?  They did nothing really.

The Jags signed tryout guy Pannel Egboh, a defensive end who has to be pleased he currently has a contract.  But other than that, the Jaguars are essentially the same as they were last season.  They have second-year man Andre Branch, 2012 mid-season pickup Jason Babin, Jeremy Mincey, and Austen Lane to rush the passer.  Those four players combined produced just 7.5 sacks in 2012.  There is reason to believe they will improve, though.

Mincey signed a nice new contract with the Jaguars before 2012 following a career best season rushing the passer in 2011 with eight sacks.  He dropped off in 2012 but he has the ability to get to a similar level in 2013.  Babin is a sack master and an exclusive pass rusher.  He played the wide nine, lining up well outside the offensive tackle or tight end, in Philadelphia but will be playing Gus Bradley’s hybrid Leo role in the new defense.  Having him for a full season should be huge as he is easily the Jaguars’ best pass rusher.  Lane and Branch are the bigger question marks here but both are young and still growing into their roles.  Branch can only improve and Lane has shown sparks at times.  With better defensive tackle play there is an expectation that the defensive ends make more plays in 2013.

Ultimately it all comes down to coach Bradley, defensive coordinator Bob Babich, and defensive line coach Todd Wash to turn these players from a near non-factor in 2012 to a major factor in 2013.  The schemes and improved coverage should help, but ultimately it relies on the players and the potential that they have.  The Jags are young and while a lot of the D-line guys have underwhelmed in the past, they still have a lot of upside.

- Luke N. Sims

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Mincey was a step or two too late on a number of plays like this in 2012.  Source: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive end Jeremy Mincey is taking at stab at armchair (field?) GM and suggests that the Jacksonville Jaguars should select Florida State defensive end in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Wener has been the most consistently mocked player to the Jaguars since mock draft season hit and with the need for a more consistent pass rush (read: any pass rush at all) it isn’t shocking that Mincey wants some help along the defensive line. But part of that problem is Mincey.

Mincey signed a nice sized deal to stay with Jacksonville after testing free agency last offseason.  The common thought was that Mincey was a late bloomer and could turn his eight sacks from 2011 into 10+ in 2012.  He finished the season with three sacks and was a non-factor in a number of games.

Mincey revealed his desired pick while talking to Chris Porter of WTLV-TV.  ”Probably Bjoern Werner from Florida State.  I like that kid.  I admire his work ethic.  I admire his style of play.  I think he’ll be a nice guy to pass the torch down to a few years from now.  It’s just a good pick.  I think he’ll fit right in,” said Mincey when describing who he wants the Jaguars to draft.

No offense to Mincey, but I don’t want someone who fits in with the way the Jaguars are.  I want someone who stands out.  I don’t want someone to receive the sputtering pass rushing torch that Mincey currently carries. I want a player who lights his own torch that shines much brighter.  There’s more to football than a good work ethic and being a nice guy.  We had to many of those guys come to Jacksonville while Gene Smith was general manager.  Judging by the current state of things, it didn’t do us too well.

I won’t be screaming bloody murder if the Jags do draft Werner, but I think there are other players who will really stand out and completely alter the anemic pass rush of recent years.  We need a trend setter, not someone who fits in.

- Luke N. Sims

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You can also find me on Twitter @LukeNSims

This time: defensive end.

Here are the other parts of the series: QB, OL, WR, TE, RB, DT

Here we see the rare knockdown of a quarterback by a Jaguar.  Source: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

The 4-3 defensive end is a premium position in the NFL.  It can bring the player glory if they are successful and it can help push a team into the playoffs or to the Super Bowl.  Players like Jared Allen and Cameron Wake have made names for themselves through their ability to overpower, outsmart, or outmaneuver offensive tackles in their nearly constant quest of sacking the quarterback.  Perhaps no position on defense can dominate a game quite like a defensive end can.

The Jaguars didn’t have a dominant defensive end all through the season.  No defensive end notched more than three sacks, even.  At a position that can wreak havoc on the opponent and save the day for the defense, the Jaguars had nobody.  It was a practically non-existant position the entire season.

Diagnosing 2-14 could have been summed up simply by talking about the defensive front four for the Jaguars – there were problems beyond that, so we gave them more attention – because the team did better in 2011 with similar talent along the front four.  This year was supposed to be further development for those players, instead we got sub par performance after sub par performance.

A big part of a defensive end’s performance is his third and fourth down pass rushing productivity.  Pro Football Focus measured this just before week 15 of the 2012 season and found the usual culprits in the top ten: Von Miller, Cameron Wake, J.J. Watt, and (surprise) Jacksonville’s Jason Babin at fourth.  Unfortunately for the Jaguars, Babin arrived to the team on week 13 due to his “inefficiency” with the Philadelphia Eagles.  In Jacksonville he joined a mediocre cast.

The Jags were a sad bunch at defensive end.  Jeremy Mincey got a nice deal after a “breakout” 2011 campaign, only to contribute three sacks, 10 QB hits, and 22 QB hurries.  Austen Lane was expected to be a bigger contributor in 2012 but only contributed two sacks, six hits, and 10 hurries.  Second round 2012 draft pick Andre Branch was expected to be an immediate contributor but only managed to help with one sack, two hits, and 11 hurries.

It was a sad, depressed, and maddening year at defensive end.  Every defensive end on the team, except Babin, graded poorly in the pass rush.  They were ineffective.  Babin was with the team for only four weeks and managed to finish seventh on the team with 1.5 sacks in four games.  The Jags made up for it by being above average in run support, but with the interior line doing everything it possibly could to allow running backs room it did little to ease the pain on the Jaguars’ defense.

Inefficient and ineffective, the Jaguars were found wanting at a premium position.  Babin should be back for next season but it wouldn’t shock me to see an entirely different cast around him as the Jags try to dig out of 2-14.

Next we’ll look at the linebackers.

- Luke N. Sims

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You can also find me on Twitter @LukeNSims