The Jacksonville Jaguars have a pair of fearsome pass rushers in Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. However, the depth behind them left a bit to be desired late in 2025. This is why the pass rush was routinely seen as one of their biggest needs in the offseason. However, the team's brass hasn't made any major additions.
Sure, the Jags drafted Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee in Rounds 4 and 7, but you could make the case that they need someone who can make an instant impact behind Walker and Hines-Allen. An NFL analyst believes that is the case.
The Jaguars are being urged to bolster the pass rush behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen
ESPN Nation took a look at every NFL team's biggest roster void after the draft. Jaguars writer Michael DiRocco suggested Jacksonville round out the pass rush, arguing that there's not much depth behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
"Jacksonville needs a veteran rotational edge rusher behind starters Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen," DiRocco wrote. "The third edge rusher is B.J. Green II, a 2025 UDFA, who had two sacks as a rookie. The other rotational edge rusher will be 2026 fourth-rounder Wesley Williams. Yes, Arik Armstead could sometimes kick out to the edge, but the Jaguars need to consider the same veteran free agent edge rushers who are listed above for their rivals in Houston."
For context, the pass rushers DiRocco is referring to are Haason Reddick, Leonard Floyd, and Joey Bosa.
DiRocco isn't necessarily wrong. Heck, he might be onto something. Dating back to last year, the Jaguars didn't have a No. 3 that could take some pressure off Hines-Allen and Walker. Sure, general manager James Gladstone inked Dawuane Smoot and Emmanuel Ogbah, but neither made a big impact. In fact, they were both phased out in favor of Danny Striggow and B.J. Green as the season progressed.
To nobody's surprise, Jacksonville let Ogbah and Smoot walk in free agency, and both remain unsigned, as of this writing. This is good news for both Striggow and Green, as they could make a bid for expanded playing time. Similarly, Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee will have the chance to earn snaps in training camp.
Having said that, none of those players are proven options. They could be down the road, but not at this moment, and the Jags need a No. 3 pass rusher that can make an impact in case Hines-Allen or Walker aren't on the field.
Fortunately, there are options.
The Jaguars can sign a veteran pass rusher (maybe Cameron Jordan, Jadeveon Clowley)
One reason the Jaguars have yet to add a grizzled pass rusher is that they want to see how their young players fare in training camp. If not a single one stands out, the team's brass could then look for external help. Three alternatives come to mind.
Cameron Jordan logged 10.5 sacks in 2025 and doesn't appear to be slowing down. The issue may be that no team has been willing to meet his contract demands. But if the Jags find themselves in need of help or he's willing to reduce his asking price, maybe an agreement can be reached. On the other hand, Jadeveon Clowney also had a strong season with the Dallas Cowboys but usually takes his time to join a team. If that's the case, Jacskonville could give him a call in the Summer.
Another option would be A.J. Epenesa. He signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns but was given the cut just 12 days later after he failed a physical. It's hard to tell just how healthy he is, but he could be the last resort.
It looks like the Jaguars are waiting for their pass rushers to take a step forward. This is probably why they've stayed put. By training camp, we'll have a better idea of just how much they truly need to add another pass rusher.
Add us as a preferred source on Google