Jacksonville Jaguars: 4 players with feast or famine prospects in 2021

3. Jacksonville Jaguars EDGE rusher Josh Allen

EDGE defender Josh Allen already made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, so why is he on this list? He was limited to eight games last season and he wasn’t at full strength when he played. You could argue that it’s unfair to expect the Kentucky product to duplicate the success he had as a rookie. The truth is that the NFL is about what you have done lately and two years is plenty of time.

Allen already showed he can get to the quarterback but can he do it on a consistent basis? Back in 2019, Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue were the Jaguars’ top pass rushers while the former Wildcat played a complementary role. He should be fully healthy in 2021 and the team’s brass surely expects him to play a big role this upcoming season.

Jaguars defensive coordinator Joe Cullen says the team can double their sack totals from last season. That’s a pretty reasonable goal but for it to happen, Allen will need to perform at a high level. K’Lavon Chaisson showed promise towards the end of this rookie campaign but it’s not a given he will have a breakout season in 2021.

If the LSU product doesn’t take the next step in his development and Allen doesn’t regain his Pro Bowl form, the defense could be in trouble. The Jags signed Jihad Ward and Roy Robertson-Harris in free agency but neither of them is a premier pass rusher. That’s why the Jaguars need Allen to dominate the line of scrimmage. The odds of that happening are higher than a coin flip but there’s also a chance he struggles.