Jacksonville Jaguars: Trouble at the safety position

Is there enough talent at the safety position on the Jacksonville Jaguars roster for improvement this coming season?

If it looks like the Jacksonville Jaguars forgot to pay attention to the safety position this offseason, it might be because they did.

While the defense was addressed at several key spots in free agency and the NFL Draft, depth at safety should be a concern as the team continues to work in training camp. This isn’t an indictment on whether or not the defense will thrive this season, rather and observation since three of the four defensive backs taken in the Draft were cornerbacks.

The lone veteran, Rashaan Melvin, the Jaguars signed this offseason opted to not play in 2020.

"“This position hasn’t been discussed much this offseason – primarily because there has been so much discussion about cornerback, linebacker, and the defensive front,” John Oehser of Jaguars.com wrote. “But this area must improve in 2020 – and the improvement may have to come from within.”"

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While teams ran through the Jacksonville Jaguars defense last season, the secondary was exposed on a few occasions as well. Ronnie Harrison is a hard-hitting player who must become the leader in the defensive backfield. Jarrod Wilson needs to have a better season. Daniel Thomas is a fifth-round pick out of Auburn. The team hopes he can come in and produce.

And we all know rookies will have a more difficult time this season because of limited time on the practice field. Undrafted rookie J.R. Reed of Georgia is a player to watch. He has nice size and could become one of the camp stories that we write about heading into the regular season.

Oehser believes Harrison is the guy who must have a solid season in his third year out of Alabama.

"“Harrison entered as a third-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft – a third-round safety should be a difference-maker. Harrison showed signs of becoming a playmaker as a rookie in 2018,” he added. “He flashed at times last season in his first season as a starter last season, but also had some costly mental errors.”"

The Jaguars, who are now down to 80 players on the roster, could still add a player or two at the position if a veteran is released or seek a trade. They could also look to the free agent wire to add someone. Again, not having time on the field this season as in year’s past does hurt the Jaguars and every other NFL team. The defense was the target of most of the re-tooling of the roster by the front office.

The Jaguars also have Andrew Wingard on the roster who made the team last season as a free agent. He will be counted on more this season to provide depth and to help once again on special teams.