Look for Joe Schobert to thrive in the Jaguars defensive scheme

Will linebacker Joe Schobert become the biggest and best free-agent signing by the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason?

The Jacksonville Jaguars move to sign Joe Schobert received mixed reviews this offseason.

Ask the fans on social media and they will tell you this was the best way to replace retired favorite son, Paul Posluszny in the middle of the team’s defense. If you ask someone like Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com, he will tell you the move makes no sense to pay a middle linebacker $53.75M over five years with a $12M signing bonus if the roster is being rebuilt.

There will always be two sides to picking up players in the NFL. Taking the good with the bad comes with the territory. The good news for the Jaguars and their fans is Schobert fills a major need and is one of the players John Buhler of FanSided.com believes will excel with his new football team.

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I agree with him that Schobert was one of the players the team targeted to fill a specific need and got what they needed in a leader and someone to plug the middle of the defense.

"“Joe Schobert comes to the Jacksonville Jaguars after four years of service with the Cleveland Browns. The former star linebacker for the Wisconsin Badgers had a Pro Bowl season in his second year in the league,” he writes.“In 2017, Schobert tied for the lead in combined tackles with 144. Despite being an integral part of the Browns defense, he proved too expensive for them in 2020.”"

Trying to replace Posluszny, who was arguably the most respected player in the Jaguars’ locker room in 2017, Joe Schobert has some pretty big shoes to fill.

It’s possible Schobert could have more of an impact on his teammates than himself this coming season. Myles Jack will move back outside where defensive coordinator Todd Wash will take full advantage of his speed. He will also act as a mentor of sorts to rookie K’Lavon Chaisson, who figures to get reps at outside linebacker in a 3-4 package and be used as an edge rusher in a standard 4-3 scheme.

Schobert will also be asked to call the defensive plays from Day 1. And if he can have the same kind of impact on the Jaguars young defense as he did in Cleveland, then may the big contract was worth it all along.

"“With elite tackling ability, outstanding ball skills and tremendous on-field production, the Jaguars are banking on him to be the next Paul Posluszny in Jacksonville,” Buhler adds.“While Posluszny was a more decorated player in college at Penn State, Schobert has the right opportunity to become the next great Jaguars defensive player.”"

Schobert played at Wisconsin, another blue-collar college known for tough linebackers and defense. He is a perfect complement to what the Jacksonville Jaguars defense should be this coming season.

If Jack makes the Pro Bowl this season (which could also happen to Schobert), he can thank his teammate. The fifth-year linebacker from UCLA was out of place last season, which did have an effect on is performance. The Jacksonville Jaguars need someone who can stay in the middle and is comfortable playing both the run and the pass.

It’s a challenge Joe Schobert accepts with his new team.

"“I want to prove I can be part of winning franchise,” Schobert said via Jaguars.com. “I want to be able to change the culture into a traditional winning culture, to be able to be a team that can go to the playoffs year after year and be one of the more successful teams in the AFC and competing for titles every year.”"

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