DE Ryan Kerrigan would be solid addition to Jacksonville Jaguars’ D-Line

Free agency is still a month away, but that doesn’t mean the Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t started their evaluations. In fact, they should have a clear idea of the kind of players they want to add to the open market. Adding talent to their defensive line should one of their top priorities and Washington Football Team defensive end Ryan Kerrigan will be available.

A first-round selection in 2011, it seems like Kerrigan’s time in Washington will come to an end. With the emergence of defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young, the Purdue product saw his playing time decrease and only took the field on 38 percent of the team’s total snaps on defense.

Even though Kerrigan was relegated to a rotational role last season, he still played in all 16 games, logging 17 total tackles (five for a loss), and five sacks. The veteran is aware his time in Washington may be over and but believes he ‘still got plenty of ball‘ in him.  In his ten-year career, he’s registered 95.5 sacks (a franchise record), 454 total tackles (119 for a loss), 26 forced fumbles, and three interceptions.

How does Ryan Kerrigan fit with the Jacksonville Jaguars?

After moving on from Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue, the Jaguars’ front four had a hard time generating pressure upfront. Sophomore Josh Allen dealt with a knee injury most of the year while rookie K’Lavon Chaisson struggled early in the season. Dawuane Smoot led the team in sacks with 5.5, but Jacksonville’s front four registered a paltry 12.5 as a unit.

Allen should be healthy in 2021 and K’Lavon Chaisson made strides towards the end of the season. However, the ‘Jags’ still need to add talent and Kerrigan could be part of their defensive line rotation. He has lined up as a defensive end and as an outside linebacker in his career, which could give defensive coordinator Joe Cullen the flexibility to deploy him in different ways.

Also, the Jaguars wouldn’t need to break the bank to get Kerrigan. Even though he’s still a quality player at this point of his career, he won’t command the kind of salary younger players will get in the open market.

Adding Kerrigan would sense from both a financial and talent standpoint. The Jaguars need to give their defensive line a boost and have the resources to sign the veteran in free agency. This could be an under-the-radar addition that significantly improves their defense.