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Jaguars 2025 Defensive Preview: New Scheme, Tackles Making a Jump and Being Disruptive 

071025 Defensive Storylines

JACKSONVILLE – Jaguars experts – Frank Frangie, Brent Martineau, John Oehser, Brian Sexton, J.P. Shadrick and Kainani Stevens – are breaking down the Jaguars as the 2025 NFL season approaches; today: The Jaguars' key defensive storylines entering the '25 season

Frank Frangie, Radio Voice of the Jaguars

Brent Martineau, Action Sports Jax Sports Director

  • Most important defensive storyline: The use of Travis Hunter on that side of the ball. It Is believed that Hunter can play the corner position on a full-time basis, but he won't. How will the Jaguars use him? How much can he impact the game? What is the domino effect on the corner room when Hunter plays and when he doesn't play? If he plays really well on defense, will the Jaguars be forced to use him more? The Jaguars have a plan, but how disciplined will they be in executing that plan is the biggest story of the 2025 season on defense?
Jacksonville, Fla. — Jaguars defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton (52) during OTAs at the Miller Electric Center on May 22, 2025.

John Oehser, jaguars.com Senior Writer

  • Most important defensive storyline: Selecting a single key storyline for the Jaguars' 2025 defense is all but impossible. The unit's struggles in a disastrous 2024 defensive season made that true. The defensive front must be more disruptive against the run and must have a more balanced pass rush to complement reliable, productive ends Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. The secondary must dramatically improve, with its inability to stop big plays consistently in 2024 a season-defining weakness. The unit as a whole must force more turnovers, having finished 32nd in the NFL in takeaways with nine in 2024 after ranking eighth in the area in 2023 (27) and fourth in 2022 (27). Let's go with the defensive interior as the most important storyline here in '25, with veteran Arik Armstead moving back to his natural position after playing end in his first season with the Jaguars last season. If the Jaguars get stouter and more disruptive there, that should help Hines-Allen and Walker. That in turn should help the entire defense.

Brian Sexton, jaguars.com Senior Correspondent

  • Most important defensive storyline: Will defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile’s new scheme be as good as the one he worked in during his time in Green Bay? Those Packers didn't make mistakes last season; they were certainly talented, but they were in the right spot doing their job on nearly every play. That's the opposite of what happened last season in Jacksonville when it seemed that the Jaguars suffered a catastrophic breakdown on nearly every play. TheJaguars have talent on defense. Maybe not enough, but if the offense is as good as it is capable of being, then it shouldn't matter. Campanile is a demanding coach. That's good because his defense requires the best of his players on every down.

J.P. Shadrick, jaguars.com Senior Reporter

  • Most important defensive storyline: Can they consistently stop the run and earn the right to rush the passer – and with that, increase their takeaway total? There's a lot here with a whole new scheme, and new faces in the secondary, but this feels like a defense that will have a different energy in 2025 led by Campanile.

Kainani Stevens, Jaguars Team Reporter

  • Most important defensive storyline: Can the secondary go from worst to first? Giving up the big play last season was one of the more glaring issues for this team, but the position group saw a near complete overhaul in the offseason. The front office spent a good portion of their draft capital on the position with Hunter in the first round, and versatile defensive back Caleb Ransaw in the third. General Manager James Gladstone also signed free agent vets Jourdan Lewis and Eric Murray to help shore up the defensive backfield as well. New faces and improved communication should make a world of difference.

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