Talented trio of linebackers gives the Jaguars' defense ample versatility

The Jacksonville Jaguars raised eyebrows when they released their first depth chart of the season. While mostly everything looked in place, the inclusion of Chad Muma as the starting linebacker next to Foyesade Oluokun stood out. At the time, defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen asked not to read too much into it, but it's now clear there was a reason for it.

Even though Oluokun and Lloyd got the starting nod against the Dolphins in Week 1, Muma also got playing time, logging 10 defensive snaps. While it's not much, it's noteworthy because Nielsen wants players who can play multiple roles and rotate at all three levels.

Regarding the decision to remove Oluokun, Nielsen doesn't think it's a big deal, pointing out that the team has plenty of depth and talent on all levels on defense, and he wants to use it all.

"The more you can do helps in all packages. You see them out there," Nielsen said. "There's some things we can do with those guys with their skill sets, but you're confident the next guy in there, to be honest with you, at times, didn't know that Foye was out of the game. He got a blow. Then looked out there, and there's 51 out there, and it was like,' Alright, here we go.' Like, next man up. It was awesome. You see Chad out there. Chad's out there making a play, and you're like, all right."

"Nielsen continued, "So you feel really good at all positions, with our rotation. We've got a good roster. We got a good roster. We got depth on our defense. That's one of the things we do have, so regardless of who is out on the field, we're confident in every single play that every player is going to do their job."

Even though Oluokun left the field to pave the way for Muma, he still got the lion's share of the workload next to Lloyd. As a matter of fact, it might've been beneficial for the veteran linebacker, as he and Lloyd got Pro Football Focus overall grades of 80.8 and 87.3, respectively.

Devin Lloyd and Foyesade Oluokun are making an impact for the Jaguars while Chad Muma is turning the corner

Back in June, Pro Football Focus graded the Jaguars' linebacker corps as the seventh-best in the league. It's easy to see why. Foyesade Oluokun has been a mainstay of the defense since landing in Jacksonville in 2022, registering over 100 total tackles each of the past two seasons. The front office was pleased enough with his performance that it gave him a three-year extension in the offseason.

Devin Lloyd, for his part, is building off a promising sophomore campaign. Against the Browns, he tallied nine total tackles and posted a PFF coverage grade of 87.8 in Week 1. On the other hand, Chad Muma has bounced back nicely and has earned praise from the coaching staff after struggling in 2023.

Based on his play in the opener, Muma will be ready to go if either Oluokun or Lloyd misses time. For the time being, the Jacksonville Jaguars should be thrilled about the depth and talent they currently have at linebacker.

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