Jacksonville Jaguars: 4 defenders who have underperformed in 2020

These four Jacksonville Jaguars have underperformed in 2020.

People say that defense wins championships. If that’s the case, the Jacksonville Jaguars may have a hard time reaching the Super Bowl any time soon, as their defense is currently among the worst in the NFL.

Regardless of the validity of the saying, nobody expected Jacksonville’s defense to struggle this much this season and it is one big reason why the team is currently 1-8. The unit currently ranks 31st in both points allowed and total yards. Moreover, they have only registered nine sacks, the lowest amount in the league.

One of the reasons behind the Jaguars’ defensive struggles was their decision to part ways with defensive ends Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue in the offseason. In 2019, the duo accounted for 14.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and 97 total tackles. The team sent the duo packing in an effort to cut costs but the decision may not have been the best one in retrospect.

So far, the Jags have had a hard time replacing Ngakoue and Cambell’s 2019 production. This season, their defensive end position has accounted for five sacks. The team is simply not getting enough production from the unit, but it isn’t the only position group that has failed to meet expectations in 2020.

The Jaguars’ safety room as a whole hasn’t had a major impact this season. Although Jarrod Wilson has been serviceable, Josh Jones has struggled. In an effort to shake things up, the team has decided to give rookie Daniel Thomas a look.

Don’t get us wrong though, this Jacksonville team has some talent on defense, but some of the players they trusted have underperformed. Let’s take a look at four of them.