JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser and Jaguars analyst Bucky Brooks examine the Jaguars' safety position in this position-by-position look at the '26 offseason:
Position: Safety.
Position coach: Anthony Perkins.
2025 starters: Andrew Wingard (16 starts), Eric Murray (12), Antonio Johnson (9).
2025 at a glance: This was a solid position in 2025, with a savvy and veteran duo of Wingard (seventh NFL season in 2025) and Murray (10th NFL season in 2025) providing experience and reliability in the backfield. Wingard, along with defensive end Josh Hines-Allen the team's second-most-tenured player in 2025, finished second on the team with 84 tackles, 45 solos, with three for loss, and had an interception with nine passes defensed. Murray, who signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent from the Houston Texans in the 2025 offseason, registered 53 tackles, with 31 solo, two for loss – and also had a sack with two quarterback hits, an interception and six passes defensed. Johnson, a third-year veteran, registered a career-high five interceptions that tied linebacker Devin Lloyd for the team lead and also had two sacks with 54 tackles, 32 solos, with nine passes defensed. Lane, a sixth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, emerged as a front-line special teams player with a team-high 15 tackles on that unit and also registered five tackles with a fumble recovery and a pass defensed on defense. Ransaw, a third-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, missed his rookie season with a foot injury.
Offseason storyline: This position will undergo a natural and expected transition this offseason, with Wingard – a popular and productive player in seven Jaguars seasons – signing with the Arizona Cardinals as an unrestricted free agent at the start of the 2026 NFL League Year. That move was expected because Ransaw – who was expected to compete for a starting role last season before a training-camp injury – is expected to return to full health entering his second season. The Jaguars figure to enter 2026 with Ransaw, Johnson and Murray as the top three safeties – with selecting this position at least once in the 2026 NFL Draft likely.
Free agents as of March 11: Wingard (signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an unrestricted free agent).
Bucky Brooks top three safety free agents: 1, Bryan Cook, Kansas City Chiefs (signed with Cincinnati Bengals); 2, Coby Bryant, Seattle Seahawks (Chicago Bears); 3, Nick Cross, Indianapolis Colts (Washington Commanders).
Bucky Brooks top three collegiate safety prospects: 1, Caleb Downs, Ohio State; 2, Dillon Thieneman, Oregon; 3, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo.
Oehser analysis: The Jaguars' safeties turned in a solid season in 2025, with Murray adding a calming veteran presence as an unrestricted free agent – and with Johnson emerging as one of the most-improved players on an improved defense. Key to the 2026 season and the future: the development and return of Ransaw, who the Jaguars like very much and who is expected to push for a starting position in his second season. His return to health, along with the return to health of cornerback Travis Hunter, should add significant talent to a secondary that allowed a few too many big plays late last season and into the postseason.
Brooks analysis: Murray, Wingard and Johnson developed into a high-functioning trio by season's end. The mix of experience, expertise and playmaking helped the Jaguars transform from a dismal defense in 2024 into one of the best units in football by the end of the regular season. Murray and Wingard were excellent communicators and shared the role as "traffic cops" for the back end of the defense. Whether making subtle checks and adjustments or communicating their responsibilities in action, the veterans shored up some of the issues that plagued the secondary in recent years. While neither grey beard is regarded as an elite playmaker, their consistency and steady play enabled the younger players to play with an attack mindset in the defensive backfield. Johnson showed the most progress of any young defender in the secondary, displaying outstanding instincts and awareness as a part-time starter/key backup. His knack for finding the ball and disrupting plays within the box could propel him into Pro Bowl consideration next season. With Lane carving out a pivotal role as a special teams demon, while developing as a backup safety, the Jaguars' defensive backfield is in good shape heading into 2026.
Relive the top defensive moments of the 2025 season and the plays that defined the Jaguars defense.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Kansas City Chiefs
CB Montaric Brown (30)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers
CB Jourdan Lewis (2)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers
S Antonio Johnson (26)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
CB Jarrian Jones (22)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
S Antonio Johnson (26)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs New York Jets
LB Ventrell Miller (51)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Kansas City Chiefs
S Andrew Wingard (42)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
DL Danny Striggow (92)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs San Francisco 49ers
LB Devin Lloyd (0) and S Antonio Johnson (26)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs San Francisco 49ers
DT Arik Armstead (91) and DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cincinnati Bengals
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cincinnati Bengals
LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
CB Jarrian Jones (22)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Arizona Cardinals
DL Austin Johnson (99) and DL Emmanuel Ogbah (90)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Arizona Cardinals
S Antonio Johnson (26)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Arizona Cardinals
S Rayuan Lane III (25) and CB Christian Braswell (21)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
LB Dennis Gardeck (47)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23) and LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Kansas City Chiefs
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Seattle Seahawks
CB Montaric Brown (30)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Kansas City Chiefs
LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Denver Broncos
CB Montaric Brown (30)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs San Francisco 49ers
DT Arik Armstead (91)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Denver Broncos
DL Emmanuel Ogbah (90)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23) and DC Anthony Campanile
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
DT Maason Smith (94)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers
S Antonio Johnson (26)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41) and CB Greg Newsome II (6)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cincinnati Bengals
DT Arik Armstead (91) and DE Dawuane Smoot (98)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Los Angeles Rams
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23) and DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Las Vegas Raiders
CB Montaric Brown (30)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Las Vegas Raiders
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Kansas City Chiefs
LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Denver Broncos
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Seattle Seahawks
DT Arik Armstead (91) and LB Ventrell Miller (51)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs New York Jets
S Antonio Johnson (26)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs San Francisco 49ers
LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Denver Broncos
DE Travon Walker (44)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers
DE Dawuane Smoot (98)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
CB Jourdan Lewis (2)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Seattle Seahawks
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs San Francisco 49ers
LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Arizona Cardinals
CB Greg Newsome II (6)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
DL Austin Johnson (99)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
DL Danny Striggow (92), LB Foyesade Oluokun (23), and LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
S Antonio Johnson (26), CB Montaric Brown (30), CB Greg Newsome II (6), CB Jourdan Lewis (2)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
CB Jarrian Jones (22)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Buffalo Bills
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Buffalo Bills
DE Travon Walker (44)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Kansas City Chiefs
CB Montaric Brown (30)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
CB Jourdan Lewis (2)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
S Antonio Johnson (26)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers
S Antonio Johnson (26)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs San Francisco 49ers
DT DaVon Hamilton (52)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers
LB Devin Lloyd (0) and DE Travon Walker (44)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers
DEJosh Hines-Allen (41), DE Dawuane Smoot (98) and DE Travon Walker (44)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers
CB Jourdan Lewis (2)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cincinnati Bengals
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Los Angeles Rams
CB Greg Newsome II (6)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Los Angeles Rams
DT Maason Smith (94)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Arizona Cardinals
LB Dennis Gardeck (47)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Arizona Cardinals
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Buffalo Bills
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers
S Eric Murray (29)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers
CB Jourdan Lewis (2)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
S Antonio Johnson (26)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
CB Jarrian Jones (22)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs New York Jets
DL B.J. Green II (95)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Chargers
DE Travon Walker (44)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
LB Foyesade Oluokun (23) and DC Anthony Campanile
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
DE Travon Walker (44)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
CB Jourdan Lewis (2)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts
DT DaVon Hamilton (52) and LB Devin Lloyd (0)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cincinnati Bengals
S Andrew Wingard (42) and S Eric Murray (29)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Arizona Cardinals
DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
LB Dennis Gardeck (47)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
LB Dennis Gardeck (47) and DE Josh Hines-Allen (41)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Buffalo Bills
DE Travon Walker (44)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
CB Jarrian Jones (22)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
S Antonio Johnson (26)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
CB Jourdan Lewis (2)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs New York Jets
S Eric Murray (29)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs New York Jets
CB Montaric Brown (30)
