Despite a disappointing first round exit in the playoffs, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2025 season can generally be considered a success. With a new front office and coaching staff in place and a significant
overhaul of the roster, the Jags jumped from four wins to thirteen and won the AFC South. The ultimate goal of course is a Super Bowl, but Liam Coen and James Gladstone will be satisfied with the foundations they have built in year one.
With the offseason already underway for all but four franchises, attention turns to further roster reconstruction. In the second of two articles we break down which positions the Jaguars will look to address via free agency and the NFL Draft – this time looking at the defense:
Cornerback
The Jaguars defense was a nice surprise in 2025. Under first year coordinator Anthony Campanile, the Jags saw improvement almost across the board, including shooting up from nine turnovers the year before to 31 last campaign – second in the NFL. The unit also dropped from 25.5 points per game allowed to 19.8 – a large reason why Jacksonville earned an AFC South title and a playoff appearance.
One position that still has question marks surrounding it is cornerback. The midseason trade of Tyson Campbell to the Browns for Greg Newsome seems to be a straight swap that, if anything, saw a regression in the secondary. Perhaps Newsome grows into the role (if the Jaguars retain him – Newsome is an impending free agent), and James Gladstone has more than earned the benefit of the doubt based on his body of work. But regardless, the team will still consider this position as a high priority this offseason.
Jourdan Lewis was an excellent offseason addition and has thrived in the nickel. Jarrian Jones’ versatility is valuable, Montaric Brown should be considered a depth piece, and there’s Caleb Ransaw, who we never saw as a rookie too. Add Travis Hunter to the mix even on a part-time basis, and the Jaguars have the numbers. But they’ll be in the market for a true outside starter to push this group into the elite tier in 2026.
Interior Defensive Line
The Jags boasted the NFL’s best run defense last year, allowing an average of just 85.6 yards per game – a franchise record. In fact, they were only the third team since 2000 not to allow a running back to get 75 yards on the ground all season, showing the work that Campanile and his staff have done on this side of the ball.
A collective effort from the front seven, hopes will be high for a similar output this coming year. But there are questions to address on the interior of the defensive line; Arik Armstead is a potential post-June 1st cut, a move that would save the Jags approximately $15m and only incur a cap penalty of less than $5m.
Armstead and DaVon Hamilton did most of the heavy lifting in the defensive tackle spots last year, and it’s probably one of the thinnest groups top to bottom on the Jags’ roster. Further complicating issues is the dropoff from Armstead following his hand injury; was he playing banged up, or is it the beginning of a modest decline for a star name who will be 33 before the end of next season? It’s a difficult question for the front office to answer – and it should also be noted that Armstead was amongst the best in the league in terms of interior pass rush last year. But whether it’s a starter or more depth, the defensive tackle spot will be added to this offseason.
Safety
Considering how good the Jags’ defense was in 2025, it feels like we’re picking holes when trying to find areas needed for improvement. But there’s no denying that the team was far more susceptible against the pass than they were the run last year. The turnovers masked a lot of troubles on the back end; no team’s defense was challenged as much aerially as Jacksonville’s was (635 passing attempts), and a unit that was elite against the run was 19th against the pass.
Middle of the pack isn’t awful, but there’s room for improvement. Then you also have to factor in the contract status of Andew Wingard, who shortly becomes a free agent. Dewey is a fan favorite, beloved in the locker room, and will probably be happy to agree to new terms if the price is right. If not, it leaves the team with Eric Murray, Antonio Johnson, and 2025 sixth round pick Rayuan Lane to man two positions.
Gladstone loves Lane, a special teams standout who will be given every opportunity to climb the depth chart. But I would argue this is one position that would benefit from some veteran experience, particularly if Wingard departs.
Honorable Mention: Linebacker
As a group, the Jaguars are well stocked at the linebacker position. But it is worth noting that Devin Lloyd hits the market. The jury was out on Lloyd before this season, and he silenced any doubters with a career year in Duval County. Strong against the run and elite in pass pro, Lloyd exiting would leave a hole in this defense that I’m not sure Ventrell Miller, Dennis Gardeck, Yasir Abdullah or Jack Kiser are ready to fill.
