Jacksonville Jaguars: Are There Major Changes in Store for the Defense?

The statement made by Jacksonville Jaguars brass was clear over draft weekend:

Defensive help will be found through free agency.

Having traded six places in the first round to select franchise quarterback Blaine Gabbert of Missouri, Jaguars General Manager Gene Smith bypassed defensive stars like Prince Amukamara of Nebraska, Robert Quinn of North Carolina and Ryan Kerrigan of Purdue. And in doing so, placed more pressure on Gabbert to carry the team into the playoffs once he takes the reins of the team in 2012.

For their aggressiveness, the Jaguars did not have a second round selection, having given it to the Washington Redskins to be able to select Gabbert, who many thought was the best quarterback in the draft.

The team’s third round pick, William Rackley, a guard out of Lehigh, is expected to learn and challenge for a starting role on the line in 2012 as well.

The choices made by draft personal also made the job of Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio that much harder. The team has faded in the final month of each of the last two seasons.

Team owner Wayne Weaver met with Del Rio at the end of the season and gave him an ultimatum to win and get to the playoffs or the team will “have another coach next season”.

As part of the plan to improve a porous defense that had 26 sacks last season and a secondary that was torched by the likes of Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman, Mel Tucker will assume more defensive responsibilities as defensive coordinator.

Del Rio has had a major hand in play calling and the defensive schemes while head coach and has agreed with Weaver to take a step back and let Tucker have a more “hands on” approach to the team. 

Weaver stated in his address to the media and fans after the draft in April that the team will be active in free agency.

There are needs on all three lines of defensive and questions remain whether defensive end Aaron Kampman who tore his ACL during the season, can return to the form that made the Jaguars sign him to a free agent contract in the first place.

The team was worst in the league in yards allowed per play and net passing yards allowed per play. The Jaguars also ranked 27th in the league in points allowed per game.

On a positive note, the team was pleased with the work of former third round pick, defensive tackle Terrance Knighton and last years top pick, Tyson Alualu, who helped anchor the interior defensive line. But the play of 2008 first round choice Derrick Harvey has been deemed a bust.

The team needs immediate help at linebacker where Darryl Smith may be the only returning starter. Justin Durant has been good when he has been on the field, but injuries have plagued him lately and is not expected back.

The team gave up a fifth round pick last season for former Oakland starter Kirk Morrison. Morrison stated in an interview with the Florida Times-Union that he is working out in his home town in California and would like to come back and play for the team in 2011.

The team needs help at safety, which the Jaguars traded Reggie Nelson to Cincinnati at the start for the season and are still trying to recover from making him a first round pick in 2007.

Courtney Greene and Don Carey were the team’s starters in the final game of the season. Eric Weddle of San Diego and Gerald Sensabaugh of the Cowboys could be two players the team targets once free agency begins and the lockout is uplifted.

So now, the team and players now takes a wait and see approach.

If management can lure star players to Florida and sell them on the idea of a team that controlled its own destiny with three weeks left, the payoff may be huge, but the lingering effect of a team that struggled at the end of last season, having played without Kampman, starting quarterback David Garrard and star running back Maurice Jones-Drew may throw up a red flag for players looking to make a splash and get that elusive championship ring.

The Jaguars are hoping a new outlook and solid signings can change all that.