The Jacksonville Jaguars had the best run defense in 2025. Given that Anthony Campanile is back to call the shots on defense, that shouldn't change next season. The good news is that the Jags will get to test their run defense right out of the gate.
Jacksonville will face the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 of the regular season. They hired Todd Monken as their head coach after dismissing Kevin Stefanski in the offseason.
The last time the Jags faced an offense Monken led was in 2023; they got steamrolled. Josh Hines-Allen just vowed it won't happen again.
Josh Hines-Allen vows to stop the Browns run offense
Josh Hines-Allen just met with the local media ahead of the season opener. He said the Jags won't allow Cleveland to run the ball, noting that their model is to stymie the rushing attack.
"It's not going to happen. They're not," Hines-Allen told reporters via 1010 XL (0:37 mark). "I mean, that's our model is to stop the run. So by any means, they're not running the ball that much on us. So I expect, coming out running the ball, I think his philosophy of how he sees the game. Yes, I expect that. But you know, 230 yards. That's not happening, respectfully."
For context, Todd Monken was the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens that game. Jacksonville lost 23-7, giving up 251 yards on the ground, 97 of them to quarterback Lamar Jackson. Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen had a combined 10 sacks but had trouble stopping the run and getting after the quarterback.
The good news is that Deshean Watson — he'll tentatively start at quarterback — isn't nearly as mobile at this stage of his career as Jackson was in 2023. Granted, Cleveland has running back Quinshon Judkins in the mix, but the Jags should have no trouble containing him when you take into account that DaVon Hamilton and a healthy Arik Amstead are back in the fold.
Moreover, Jacksonville's rotation at defensive tackle is much better. Matt Dickerson is back after joining the team late in 2025. On top of that, the team's brass added rookie Albert Regis and Ruke Orhorhoro in the offseason.
If Hines-Allen and Walker can contain the edges, Jacksonville should have no trouble neutralizing Judkins and the Browns' running game.
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Why the Jaguars must sofocate the Browns running game
Quinshon Judkins showed promise as a rookie, and he may be Cleveland's best bet to move the football in Week 1. If the Jaguars neutralize him, they'll force Deshaun Watson to beat them. Granted, he has a 7-1 record against the Jags, but he's no longer the Pro Bowl quarterback that terrorized them when he was in the AFC South.
If Jacksonville puts the game in Watson's hands, the Browns' odds of coming out on top will decrease substantially. Sure, he has a pair of talented receivers in Jerry Jeudy and KC Concepcion, but if Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker apply enough pressure throughout the game, Watson won't have enough time to get the ball to either one.
The bottom line is that the Jaguars can win the game if they force the Browns to be one-dimensional. But it all starts against the run. If Josh Hines-Allen fulfills his promise, that shouldn't be an issue.
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