Jacksonville Jaguars Look To Spackle Over Remaining Holes

(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

The problem is that no real competition was added to the mix for 2009. There is a lot of potential among the three linebackers, but none of them is proficient at rushing the passer. Daryl Smith is a solid middle linebacker, and he has proved that he can quietly lead the unit, but he has never come into the season knowing that it was his job to lose.

Justin Durant is a player with tremendous upside, but he remains a bit raw. There are the bad angles and getting caught out of position that have haunted him previously. But, he has the speed and recovery ability that makes him a player to watch. 

Clint Ingram is a big hitter, but like Durant, he has a tendency to take bad angles on plays and it can be costly in stopping the run. 

With the lack of a veteran linebacker to plug into the mix, the team is going to rely heavily on Jack Del Rio’s ability to coach up this unit to overcome the inability they had last year to stop the run.

Granted, part of the issue had to do with the fact that they were not getting the help from the defensive line last year, but there were times when they struggled as well. 

In the secondary, there still is a level of concern over whether or not Reggie Nelson can reach the potential that landed him in the first round two years ago. He’s got the tools to be a very good Free Safety, but there are times when he still seems to struggle with the mental aspect of the game. 

Brian Williams is a solid contributor in the defensive backfield, but for how much longer?  He’s a solid tackler with adequate pass coverage skills, but he’s a half step slow in some instances, particularly in coverage.   

The lack of real depth with defensive backs is a hole that could expose this defense if injuries begin to pile up as they have in  years past. Should the Jaguars suffer any significant injuries this year, particularly in the secondary, the problems will be significant.

It is still early in the process. The Jaguars do have many players on the roster that could step up and help them with the more glaring areas of need. The team will also spend significant scanning the waiver wires as veteran players come available between now and the preseason. 

The Jaguars entered the offseason with an alarming number of holes to fill on their roster.  With prudent free agent moves and smart drafting, they appear to have addressed the majority of them already.

However, there is never a period of rest for scouts and personnel guys in the NFL, and they are going to be hopping for the next couple of months to make sure that the areas of weakness that they were unable to address in free agency or the draft will be handled quickly.

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