2021 Free Agency: Which Ravens Free Agent Defenders Make Sense for the Jaguars?
The Jacksonville Jaguars will likely look much, much different on defense in 2021 compared to the last eight years, both in personnel and scheme. Could this massive overhaul include new faces migrating from the AFC North?
With the Jaguars reportedly plucking three assistants from the Baltimore Ravens -- Joe Cullen (defensive coordinator), Zach Orr (outside linebackers coach), and Sterling Lucas (defensive assistant) -- it is a fair question to ask.
Cullen will leave his own fingerprints on Jacksonville's new defensive scheme as they enter 2021 with Urban Meyer leading the team, but it would make sense if the Jaguars prioritized players who have played for Cullen with the Ravens in the past. These players will likely have a great deal of comfort and knowledge of both the scheme Cullen and his staff install as well as the coaching style and expectations.
In simple terms, adding these players could ease the transition from Todd Wash's defense to Cullen's. But do any of the impending free agents from the Ravens' 2020 defensive unit actually make sense for the Jaguars to pursue? We go through the list one-by-one to determine the answer.
Matthew Judon
Likely the biggest name on this list, Matthew Judon has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons as he has developed into a reliable edge defender for the Ravens. Judon has 34.5 sacks over the last five seasons, including at least six sacks in every year since 2017. He recorded a career-high 9.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and 33 quarterback hits in 2019 before the Ravens placed a $16.8 million franchise tag on him last offseason.
Judon clearly fits the mold of a Ravens outside linebacker, so logic would state pretty simply that he could make sense for the Jaguars on the edge. In terms of finding a player to fit the specific scheme and techniques, Judon is likely at the top of the list. The only real hangup would be the fact that the Jaguars have two young edge defenders in Josh Allen and K'Lavon Chaisson, so signing Judon would take away snaps from them in some fashion. With that said, you can never have enough pass-rushers. Judon isn't elite in any area, but he is a solid player who would fit what the Jaguars are trying to do.
Yannick Ngakoue
Well, this one would be awkward. Just a few years ago the Jaguars were entering negotiations with Ngakoue for a massive second contract, now we are pondering if the Jaguars would be willing to sign him in free agency.
Ngakoue had a down year in 2020 compared to his past seasons, but having to adjust to two brand new schemes in Minnesota and Baltimore without any training camp likely played a major role in that. He still recorded eight sacks, but his tackles for loss decreased from 13 to 7 and his quarterback hits decreased from 15 to 11. With that said, Ngakoue would fill a need for outside linebacker depth. As impressive as Chaisson's end of the season was, Ngakoue is much more established as a pass-rusher and could be leaned on early in the season in passing situations.
With that said, there shouldn't be any expectation for Ngakoue to return to a team that he had a very public divorce from. Ngakoue wanted to be traded from the Jaguars even without Tom Coughlin in the building, so there isn't much reason to think the firings of Doug Marrone or Dave Caldwell would matter much to him either. This just isn't a feasible pairing.
Derek Wolfe
Derek Wolfe signed a one-year contract with the Ravens last offseason and just worked with Cullen on a personal level for the last year, with Cullen serving as his positional coach. Cullen knows Wolfe's skill set inside and out and also knows how well he would fit into the Jaguars' new scheme. With that said, the impactful run defender shouldn't be considered an option.
As talented as Wolfe is, it just appears as if he wants to remain in Baltimore. He would be a giant addition in terms of upgrading the interior defensive line if he was willing to expand his horizons, but all indications thus far appear to be that he and the Ravens will agree to a new contract. If they don't, however, the Jaguars should be on the phone with him quickly.
Tyus Bowser
A former second-round pick, Tyus Bowser never developed into a consistent pass-rusher for the Ravens, but he provided a lot of other value at outside linebacker. He was one of their more versatile players due to his ability to blitz, set the edge against the run, and cover, making him an ideal candidate for the Jaguars to bring in as a do-it-all linebacker for their new scheme.
Bowser has just 10.5 sacks and 29 quarterback hits over four years, but seven of those sacks and 24 of those quarterback hits have occurred in the last two seasons. This suggests he is an ascending player and could even potentially be a steal in free agency at the right price. If the Jaguars want players who can help in multiple ways as well as provide knowledge about Cullen's defense, then Bowser is a solid fit.
Pernell McPhee
A Florida native, Pernell McPhee has spent the majority of his career in Baltimore's defensive scheme. But while the 32-year-old has years of experience and knowledge of what the Jaguars' defense will want to accomplish schematically, the Jaguars are better off looking at other options at outside linebacker.
For one, McPhee isn't an ascending player like Bowser or even Judon. The Jaguars likely don't want to take snaps away from Allen and Chaisson, but they could stomach doing so if they know those snaps are going to a playmaker who can also be part of the future. Bowser and Judon fit this bill, but McPhee doesn't. He could make some sense as a No. 4 or even No. 3 edge defender, but not in a major role.
Jihad Ward
If Jacksonville wants depth along the defensive line as they transition to the Cullen era, then Jihad Ward could be a reasonable low-key addition. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded 17 pressures and eight run stops last season as a rotational defender, which are solid marks for a non-starter who only played 26% of the snaps. We will go ahead and call Ward a fit since he played directly under Cullen and gave the team solid production while he was on the field in 2020.
