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Jaguars’ 4 easiest roster decisions for the defense this offseason

By Carlos Sanchez

Fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars hold up a defense sign at Nissan Stadium on December 6, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
Fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars hold up a defense sign at Nissan Stadium on December 6, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /
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Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Josh Allen (41) at TIAA Bank Field (Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports) /

It’s official, Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebacker Mike Caldwell will be the Jacksonville Jaguars’ next defensive coordinator, per Field Yates of ESPN and Mike Garafolo of NFL Media. This didn’t come as a surprise. Not long after Doug Pederson named the head coach, it was announced that Caldwell would join him in Jacksonville and it’s easy to see why.

The duo played for the Philadelphia Eagles in the late 1990s and was in Andy Reid’s coaching staff in the early 2010s, so it’s not shocking to see Pederson bring someone he knows well to run the Jags’ defense. Having said that, Caldwell will need to pick up where his predecessor, Joe Cullen, left off.

Last year, the Jaguars’ defense ranked 28th in points allowed and 20th in total yards. While those aren’t numbers to brag about, Cullen’s unit displayed flashes of dominant play and played a key role in the team’s three wins of the 2021 season. Moreover, players such as linebacker Damien Wilson, and cornerback Tyson Campbell improve under his tutelage. If that wasn’t enough, the Jags logged 32 sacks, 14 more than they did in 2020.

If the Jaguars went to keep getting better on defense, they will need to take care of these four things this offseason.

No. 1 roster decision the Jaguars must make – Commit to OLB Josh Allen.

Outside linebacker was one of the most dominant edge defenders in the league at the midpoint of the 2021 season. However, he couldn’t keep up that pace for the remainder of the year and saw a dip in production. All in all, the 2019 first-round pick logged 71 total tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble, one interception, and 7.5 sacks. While those are solid numbers, that’s not the kind of production you expect from a franchise building block. Nevertheless, the Jags need to commit to him.

The Jaguars have until May 2 to pick Allen’s 5th-year option on his rookie year. While they must exercise it, they shouldn’t stop there. They should then start negotiations and try to sign the Kentucky product to a long-term deal. He already showed he can play at t high level and you could make the case that the dysfunction that surrounded the team last year affected his performance down the stretch.

With more stability in Jacksonville, there’s a good chance Allen can have a breakout season in 2021.

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