Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 training camp preview: Defensive line

The Jacksonville Jaguars will have to make some tough decisions.

Here’s how the Jaguars’ defensive front could look in Week 1:

• Malcom Brown
• Taven Bryan
• DaVon Hamilton
• Jay Tufele
• Jihad Ward
• Roy Robertson-Harris
• Dawuane Smoot
• Adam Gotsis
• Jordan Smith

A 2015 first-round pick by the New England Patriots, Malcom Brown spent the last two seasons with the New Orleans Saints. There’s a pretty good chance he will be part of the starting lineup in Week 1. The Jags brought back Adam Gotsis after signing him last year. The 2016 second-round pick appeared in all 16 games and started 14. His playing experience could be valuable, as the Jaguars are experiencing an influx of youth.

Last season, then-rookies DaVon Hamilton and Doug Costin move up the depth chart while defensive tackle Taven Bryan fell off. The Florida product will enter training camp on the roster bubble but the new regime wants to give him a chance to show he can be part of the team’s plans in 2021. Keep in mind that the Jags declined to exercise the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, so he’s running out of chances to make an impression.

Hamilton showed promised before he suffered a knee injury in Week 12 that cut his rookie campaign short. Costin also dealt with injuries last season but appeared in 12 games with nine starts. Both second-year defensive tackles, along with rookie Jay Tufele, will vie for playing time opposite Malcom Brown.

Meanwhile, Dawuane Smoot, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Jihad Ward will be part of the Jaguars’ defensive line rotation. Last season, the team lacked depth up front. That will no longer be the case.