Jags: Jalen Ramsey, Tashaun Gipson appeased with new defensive twists

Jalen Ramsey and Tashaun Gipson were not happy with the Jacksonville Jaguars defense in 2016 and defensive coordinator Todd Wash may work to appease them in 2017.

To call the Jacksonville Jaguars defense under Gus Bradley uninspired would be an understatement.

After four years of absolutely abysmal play on the defensive side of the ball (Bradley’s specialty), the Jaguars finally had some quality additions in Tashaun Gipson and Jalen Ramsey at safety and cornerback, respectively. Both players could be major play makers on any team, as Gipson proved with the Cleveland Browns and Ramsey proved in college and with the Jaguars in spite of Bradley.

With those two talents, and a few others on defense, the commitment to a scheme that was constantly exploited became even more evident. The Jags ran the same base defense and same vanilla scheme week in and week out on the vast majority of plays. The occasional blitz and shift in coverage was like a welcome ray of sunshine breaking through the black cloud that covered the defense and the entire team.

Ramsey and Gipson get the most attention because of comments calling out the coaching staff after the season. The comments were harsh and put the future of defensive coordinator Todd Wash – promoted under Bradley – in doubt. Ultimately, Wash was retained.

Wash’s retention was not received well by fans, especially in light of Gipson’s and Ramsey’s comments following the season and his contribution to the worst defenses in franchise history. Dealing with the comments internally was considered a top priority, at least from the outside looking in.

Ultimately, it appears that Wash was not bothered by the comments but there appear to be some changes that could happen in 2017.

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While the Jaguars will be sticking with the same scheme, expect the team to work in some wrinkles. If that means different coverage responsibilities (and sometimes positions!) for Ramsey and Gipson, then so be it. In clearing the air with the two secondary players, it sounds like Wash is willing to listen to the players and, for the first time in four years, play to their strengths.

While it may seem like the squeaky wheel getting grease, it’s important to note that this is a big step forward for the modern Jaguars. Under Bradley, the Jags stubbornly clung to plays and schemes that were picked apart by offenses. Even tailoring the occasional play to Ramsey’s ability to play safety (for example) is something fresh and something that should be celebrated.

So get ready, Jaguars fans; there may be a few twists under Wash’s sleeves when he debuts as his own brand of defensive coordinator out from under Gus Bradley’s thumb.

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