Jacksonville Jaguars K’Lavon Chaisson finishes season on high note
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson is showing growth.
Even though Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson struggled early in the 2020 season, he made strides throughout the year and was able to generate pressure upfront in the second half of the season.
Chaisson was always going to be under scrutiny for two reasons. The fact the ‘Jags’ traded defensive end Calais Campbell, and later Yannick Ngakoue in the offseason left the Jaguars’ defensive line without much talent, which in turn put additional pressure on the rookie defensive end to perform.
The fact Chaisson was a first-round selection didn’t help matters either. Fair or not, high draft picks are expected to contribute and have an impact early, and not of them are ready for it. This was the case for Chaisson, who played linebacker at LSU and switched to defensive end in the NFL.
In the first eight games of the year, Chaisson recorded just eight pressures and his selection looked questionable. His production then picked up and logged 21 pressures in the second half of the season. His lone sack came in Week 1, but he certainly displayed glimpses of growth as the season progressed.
What should the Jacksonville Jaguars expect from K’Lavon Chaisson in 2021?
This Jacksonville team gave head coach Doug Marrone the boot and defensive coordinator Todd Wash should be next. The team’s next defensive coordinator will be responsible to get the most out of their young players. Chaisson showed progress in the last eight games of the year, so he could stay put and keep developing as a defensive end. On the other hand, a change back to outside linebacker should not be ruled out if it can help him thrive.
The Jaguars’ defense will probably look very different in 2021. They have 11 draft picks at their disposal and are projected to have $77.61 million in cap space. They will surely use a fair share of those resources to fix a defense that ranked dead last in yards allowed and 30th in points in 2020.
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On the other hand, the team’s brass needs to get the most out of their young players. The 2020 draft class displayed flashes of talent and it will be up to the next coaching staff to put them in a position to succeed. Chaisson finished the season strong and the Jaguars defensive coordinator will have to help him pick up where he left off last season.