Jaguars DC Ryan Nielsen getting lots of praise and love ahead of 2024 season

One of the most meaningful moves the Jacksonville Jaguars made in the offseason was hiring Ryan Nielsen as their defensive coordinator. Trevor Lawrence and the offense will lead the way, but Nielsen's unit will take lots of pressure off their shoulders. While he's yet to coach a single game for the Jags, the mustachioed coordinator has already garnered lots of praise and recognition across the league.

Doug Farrar of Athlon Sports put together a list of coordinators on the rise and included Nielsen, pointing out that he did a solid job for the Atlanta Falcons despite not having much talent to work with.

"The Jaguars hired Ryan Nielsen to be their new defensive coordinator after a 2023 season in which they ranked 10th in Defensive DVOA. Nielsen was running the Atlanta Falcons' defense last season, and that defense ranked 23rd. So, why isn't this hire a downgrade from what Jacksonville got out of former DC Mike Caldwell?

In Nielsen’s case, you have to look at what he got out of what he had. The Falcons might have had the NFL’s least impressive defensive roster, with no alpha edge-rusher, no star linebackers, and a couple of star defensive backs — safety Jessie Bates and cornerback A.J. Terrell — who were at their best under Nielsen’s tutelage. "

As Farrar noted, Nielsen made chicken salad with what he had at hand in Atlanta. Bud Dupree and Calais Campbell were his best pass rushers while cornerback A.J. Terrell and safety Jessie Bates were the only playmakers he had in the defensive backfield. He'll have a much better talent to work with in Jacksonville.

Keep in mind that Nielsen is far from a one-year wonder. He was also co-defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints in 2021 and was able to get the most out of his players. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore had one of his better seasons, while players such as defensive end Cam Jordan and C.J. Gardner Johnson thrived. As a whole, the Saints defense ranked fourth in points allowed and seventh in total yards that year.

Farrar isn't the only prominent analyst who's praised Nielsen. Benjamin Solak of ESPN noted that nobody personifies a defensive coordinator better than Nielsen after watching a clip of him going over technique with his defensive linemen.

Ryan Nielsen's best work yet will come with the Jaguars

In Jacksonville, Neilsen will have talent at all three levels of the defense. The pass rush duo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, the always dependable Foyesade Oluokun, cornerback Tyson Campbell, and safety Andre Cisco are among the most prominent players he'll have at his disposal but other less-known defenders will play an equally important role in 2024.

The Jaguars had the same core last year but Neilsen's predecessor, Mike Caldwell, wasn't able to get the most out of them. As a matter of fact, by the end of 2023, his unit was going through the motions, with communication between position groups reportedly being non-existent.

To nobody's surprise, Caldwell was given his walking papers after 2023 and Nielsen was brought in to install a renewed emphasis on fundamentals, technique, and effort.

Head coach Doug Pederson, for his part, expects the defensive-line rotation to be more diverse under Nielsen.

"One of the things you're going to see that is different, and this is what we did in Philly when I was there with Jim Schwartz. You're going to see eight guys in that defensive line. You're going to see more rotational you're going to see in and out of that different combination of guys, moving guys around," Pederson told the media on Day 8 of training camp. "Will they get opportunities to rush the passer? Of course, we're going to put our best pass rushers on the field when the time comes."

Pederson continued, "But when you're talking normal down distance, you're gonna see a different combination of guys. I think the year we won the Super Bowl, Fletcher Cox was only about 65 percent play time that season because we had eight guys that we were rolling through, and that's what it's going to take. That's why you're seeing some of these younger guys get more reps with the so-called starters."

"We can have answers on everybody and the development of your younger guys. But when it comes time, you'll see Trayvon and Josh and Arik ­[Armstead], and whether it's Roy [Robertson-Harris] DaVon [Hamilton] you're going to see those guys. Jordan, Mason, whoever it is, you're going to see those guys in pass rush situations, days like today.

Pederson's comments are noteworthy because Nielsen has been given the freedom and talent to run the defense however he sees fit. This flexibility will allow him to put together a unit with top-5 potential next season.

Rightly, Ryan Nielsen is creating lots of anticipation because of the success he's had in his previous stops. When you take into account that the Jaguars could be the most talented defense he's coached, the fuzz around his hiring is understandable.

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