Why Ryan Davis, Chris Smith Are Locked in Jaguars' Crucial Roster Battle

No other position has been discussed more in the past six months than the "Leo" position for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In this day and age, having a great pass rush is crucial in the NFL, and the Jaguars are doing their best to get to that point.

However, there have been some infamous roadblocks along the way, most notably Dante Fowler Jr.'s injury. The 2015 NFL draft first-round selection tore his ACL in his first practice, and panic quickly set in.

But that panic is somewhat unjustified. While the Jaguars obviously were planning for current and future success with Fowler, the current lineup of Leo edge-rushers is still worthy of playing time.

Chris Clemons is the expected starter, but at 33, his time and ability are limited. He's a Super Bowl champion and still has tenacity and skill, but the Jaguars may look elsewhere for a primary edge-rusher as the season goes on.

Ryan Davis and Chris Smith are entering their third and second years, respectively, and they will come into the 2015 season with plans to strive even higher than they did last season, which you can see below.

Player	Tackles	Sacks	Forced Fumbles	Fumble Recoveries
Ryan Davis	19	6.5	2	2
Chris Smith	4	3.0	1	0

For two guys who weren't highly touted coming into the NFL, they're doing well for themselves. Davis was an undrafted free agent when he was signed in 2012, and Smith was drafted in the fifth round last year.

But between them, it's obvious that the Jaguars hit the mark with two smaller-name guys as pass-rushers. Both are being molded into the defensive scheme head coach Gus Bradley is striving for, and it's producing results.

Nine-and-a-half sacks and three forced fumbles for two players who were second and third on the depth chart behind Clemons—one of the Jaguars' biggest free-agent signings—isn't just impressive, but also thought-provoking.

Clemons' eight sacks and four forced fumbles in 2014 were incredible, but it's fair to wonder how long he can keep it going. He'll be the Week 1 starter in 2015, but if Davis and Smith continue to improve and impress, how many more reps should they be getting?

Davis obviously had the better stats, but like Clemons, he also saw more playing time than Smith. It's hard to tell at this point, and it really could come down to a battle in the early weeks to see who gets to back up—and possibly usurp—Clemons.

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

This battle also will mean a lot in the future, especially when Fowler returns. If Clemons leaves after this season, it may not matter, but he still seems ready to play professionally for a year or two more after this.

While this can be considered a "problem," it's probably the best problem the Jaguars have had in years. There is hidden depth at the Leo position, and while the national media may view the position as the main concern on the defensive line, the Jaguars should be just fine.

Between Clemons, Davis and Smith, the Jaguars can't go wrong. The defensive line was the best group on the team last season, and with the improvement of Davis and Smith, it's only getting better.

Who do you think wins the backup position: Davis or Smith? Comment and answer the poll to voice your opinion. Let's hash it out!

All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter at @evanreier.