Jacksonville Jaguars: Is Josh Allen the leader of this defense?
By David Levin
With the changes to the Jacksonville Jaguars defense this offseason, is Josh Allen read to become the leader on the field and in the locker room?
Jalen Ramsey is no longer a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Neither is A.J. Bouye. It doesn’t appear that Telvin Smith is coming back. Yannick Ngakoue wants out of Jacksonville faster than DJ Clark’s time in the 40-yard dash. Calais Campbell was traded, taking his leadership on the field and in the locker room to Baltimore.
With changes over the last two years with veteran turnover, it has become more difficult to remember who is coming and who is going. Greater than that is the question of who will lead this defense into 2020.
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Do all of these changes lead to a thought-provoking decision that second-year pass rusher Josh Allen becomes the leader unit? Will he accept responsibility?
The moves the Jaguars made this past week lead me to believe Allen is going to be asked to do more on the field and more in the way of galvanizing Todd Wash’s defense. There may be others who step up – especially newly signed linebacker Joe Schobert and defensive tackle Abry Jones. But as Allen set a rookie mark with 10.5 sacks in limited playing time last season, he could become the best pass rusher in the NFL over the next two seasons. That is no exaggeration.
But does that mean he must become a vocal leader on and off the field? As a fan, I would hope so.
There are players who want onto the field and command respect. Campbell is a prime example after signing his free-agent deal in 2017. Paul Posluszny was well-respected in the locker room. Players like Smith lauded over how the former linebacker helped make them better players and even better men.
In reality, Allen doesn’t have to be a vocal player in the locker room, but he does need to set the tone for the defense on the field. His high energy and persistence at getting to the quarterback must continue. The Jaguars, should a trade for Ngakoue fall into place, will rely more on Dawuane Smoot to help with the pass rush.
I’m interested to see what leap Allen takes in year two of his NFL development. It has been said for decades players make the most improvements from the first to second year in the NFL. For opposing quarterbacks, that could be a nightmare.
If Allen, who was not a full-time player last season and recorded double-digit dacks – is on the field more with a better grasp of the NFL game, it only means a better Jaguars defense.
And a potential leader for the future.