Jacksonville Jaguars Pro Football Focus 2013 Review – Defensive Tackle
By Daniel Lago
Dec 1, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Roy Miller (97) against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
With free agency on the horizon, it is as good a time as any to take an in-depth look at the performance of each position group on the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013. As a standard metric to start the conversation, Pro Football Focus grades were used to get an initial look at how each player fared in the 2013 regular season. Specific information about how Pro Football Focus comes up with their grades is available in their FAQ.
Today we continue breaking down the defense and move on to the big guys at defensive tackle. The Jaguars had an entirely new cast in the interior of the line, led by free-agent signing Sen’Derrick Marks.
| Snaps | Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Tackles | Pass Rush | Run Def. | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sen’Derrick Marks | 946 | 4 | 12 | 24 | 25 | 12.2 | -8.4 | 3.2 |
| Roy Miller | 581 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 20 | -7.1 | -7.6 | -11.9 |
| Brandon Deaderick | 304 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | -1.7 | -10.0 | -10.5 |
| Abry Jones | 131 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | -1.8 | 1.5 | 0.4 |
| Jordan Miller | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.1 | -0.6 | -1.5 |
| Kyle Love | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -0.8 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
Marks was the star of the defensive line and probably general manager David Caldwell’s savviest move in his first year. After leaving Tennessee, Marks signed a short “prove-it” contract in Jacksonville and he did exactly that. He provided a much needed interior pass rush that the Jaguars have lacked since the days of Marcus Stroud and John Henderson. Marks played the most snaps of any defensive lineman by a significant margin, and the Jaguars need to help him out this offseason and bring in another player or two to rotate with him so he can stay fresh.
Roy Miller was the other “big” signing on the defensive line, and he was brought in clog the middle. Miller wasn’t spectacular by any means, and his rush defense was a little disappointing considering it’s his specialty. It came out that he was playing through injury in 2013 and underwent labrum surgery this offseason, so maybe he can come back and be more effective in 2014.
Brandon Deaderick finished the season on injured reserve, but he was somewhat effective in his limited snaps. Deaderick can come in and be disruptive occasionally, but he’s a player that certainly can be upgraded.
The interior defensive line is another area the Jaguars will probably address in the draft. There aren’t a lot of young guys available in free agency who I think the Jaguars will take a shot on, but they do have a lot of cap space.
2013 Position Grade, Defensive Tackle- C+
-Daniel Lago
Yell at me on Twitter @dlago89