4 Jaguars players who aren't safe with Ryan Nielsen as the defensive coordinator

3. Yasir Abdullah, edge rusher

Here's another member of the Jaguars' 2023 draft class. Dubbed a hidden gem/sleeper pick, analysts and talking heads (guilty as charged) believed Abdullah could become the No. 3 pass rusher Jacksonville sorely needed in their rotation. Looking back, this take aged poorly as the former Louisville Cardinal was inactive for more games than the ones he suited up for last year.

In his defense, Abdullah was relatively raw coming out of college and was always going to need to undergo an adjustment period. The fact that he lacked ideal length and size didn't help matters. On the other hand, it's a bit concerning that he wasn't able to get playing time despite the fact that the Jaguars didn't get much production from K'Lavon Chaisson.

Chaisson is now set to become a free agent, and it's hard to imagine the Jaguars bringing him back. That could be Abdullah's chance to work his way onto the rotation That said, he'll face an uphill battle. Not only will the team add reinforcements to the pass rush, but he may need to make the transition to playing with his hand on the ground if Ryan Nielsen deploys a 4-3 front. That could potentially prevent Abdullah from earning a roster spot.

Maybe Nielsen can find a way to use Abdullah's skill set. After all, he's quick off the edge and has outstanding recognition skills. Perhaps he can find a niche as a pass-rush specialist, but there's also a scenario in which his lack of size will prevent him from contributing in 2024.