3 emerging alphas on the Jacksonville Jaguars roster in 2024

Josh Allen is emerging as an alpha for the Jaguars in 2024

Back when the Jaguars drafted Josh Allen seventh overall in 2019, they had a nucleus of veterans in place. While he was expected to contribute right away, he had the benefit of learning behind Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue. This allowed him to thrive early on.

Unfortunately, the Jags traded Campbell and Ngakoue in 2020, which left a void on the defensive line. Allen was expected to fill it but injuries limited him to just eight games and 2.5 sacks that year. He was named team captain the following season and was one of Jacksonville's best players. However, he wasn't nearly as consistent as the team's brass would've wanted.

Allen wasn't named captain in 2022 but still played an important role on defense. Having said that, he still had room for improvement, something he acknowledged. Vowing to get better, the Virginia native went on to have a career year in 2023 and set a new franchise record for sacks in a season with 17.5. The Jags rewarded him with a contract that makes him one of the highest-paid pass rushers in the NFL.

After becoming the player Jacksonville wanted, Allen is now focused on becoming a leader. He told Arik Armstead in the offseason that he had somewhat stepped away from that role but he's looking to once again be someone teammates look up to.

Mia O'Brien of 1010 XL reported that position groups on defense were no longer talking to each other toward the end of 2023. Moreover, the coaching staff was no longer discussing alignments. Basically, the team was going through the motions. It will be up to Allen to ensure nothing like that happens again.