After suffering a humiliating loss to the Houston Texans, the Jacksonville Jaguars sit at 5-4. While they already surpassed their win totals from last year, they'll need to make several changes if they want to play meaningful football in January. Cutting down on the penalties would most definitely help. Finding a way to bolster the pass rush with the personnel they have would also come in handy.
Last, the coach must bench players who have underperformed this season and give their playing time to those who'll make the most out of it. With this in mind, here are three players the Jags shouldn't hesitate to bench in the upcoming weeks.
Josh Hines-Allen, Jaguars pass rusher
This one probably stings because Josh Hines-Allen is one of the most prominent players on the team. However, his name recognition hasn't matched his production dating back to last year. After logging a career-best 17.5 sacks in 2023, he logged eight last year.
This season, Hines-Allen has registered only two this season, and it doesn't look like he's giving his all on every snap. Compounding the issue is that he's one of the highest-paid pass rushers in the NFL, but his production doesn't match his salary. In fact, he's one of the reasons the Jaguars have had trouble bringing opposing quarterbacks.
As Ryan O'Hallaran of the Florida-Times Union noted, maybe the Jaguars need to bench Hines-Allen and give playing time to Danny Striggow and B.J. Green.
Andrew Wingard, Jaguars safety
Nobody will deny that Andrew Wingard gives his best on every snap. That said, he's a limited athlete, and opposing teams know it. That's why they'll often target him when playing the Jags. Dewey had an interception earlier this year, but has given up a 60.9 percent completion rate this season.
Couple that with the fact that Wingard has missed 16.7 percent of his tackles, and it's time Jacksonville gives Rayuan Layne or Kahlef Hailassie a chance to prove what they've got. Sure, both of them lack experience, but can they truly be any worse?
Related: 5 free agents the Jags should already have on their radar in 2025
Walker Little, Jaguars offensive tackle
The Jaguars made Walker Little the starting left tackle in the middle of the 2024 season and promptly gave him a three-year deal worth $45 million. At the time, the decision looked good, as the former Stanford Cardinal performed well. However, he's struggled this season and has become what's arguably been the weakest link on the Jacksonville offensive line.
In nine games, Little has already set a career-worst eight sacks allowed. Simply, he's become a liability and one of the reasons the Jaguars are having trouble moving the wall. Anton Harrison is dealing with a knee injury, but once he's back in the fold, he (or rookie Wyatt Milum) deserves to get a look at left tackle.