The Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense seriously struggled to get to the quarterback last season, recording fewer sacks than all but five teams in the NFL, with four of those five having losing records. Now, ESPN just dropped their predictions for the top 50 sack leaders this season, and guess what? Two Jaguars defenders made the cut, but the numbers might not be what the team needs.
Hines-Allen’s Stagnant Projections
Edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen, who led the Jaguars with eight sacks last season, landed at No. 14 on ESPN’s list. They’re projecting him for another eight sacks this year. Think about that: eight sacks is what he’s hit in each of the last two seasons. This guy put up an incredible 17.5 sacks in 2023, the second-most in the entire league! He was also one of the NFL’s top pressure-getters last year. So yeah, eight sacks is technically his “floor,” but for a guy with that kind of ceiling, sticking at eight feels like a missed opportunity for the defense.
Travon Walker’s Big Opportunity
Then there’s defensive end Travon Walker. Last year, he was battling injuries and only managed 3.5 sacks. But here’s the kicker: Walker was a double-digit sack monster in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He’s reportedly had a strong showing through offseason programs and training camp, looking fully healthy and poised to return to that dominant form. Plus, he might get more chances to rush from the inside this year. If he can get back to what they saw in 2023 and 2024, that changes everything for their D-line.
The Jaguars desperately need that pass rush to get real. If Hines-Allen can break past that eight-sack mark and Walker truly returns to his old self, this defense might just flip the script on last year’s disappointing sack numbers. It’s on them to deliver.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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