Jaguars Set to Have a Solid Mixture of Youth and Experience at Linebacker in 2020
Last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars had more questions than answers at the linebacker position. This year, they are hoping new additions reverse that trend.
Myles Jack was the unquestioned top dog of the group entering 2019 considering his years of experience, place at middle linebacker, and big payday before the season began. But behind him, the Jaguars leaned on a variety of first-year players, journeymen veterans, and career special teamers.
The Jaguars' linebacker group was among the most maligned of any position on the team following a 2019 season that was, at times, disastrous for the Jaguars. Jacksonville allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns in the league with 23, the fifth-most rushing yards per game at 139.3 , and over 5.0 yards per carry.
Combine this with an inconsistent pass defense that struggled to cover tight ends, and the fact that Jacksonville had four linebackers end the year on injured reserve, and the Jaguars' linebackers had seen better years than in 2019.
But in 2020, the Jaguars have taken the proper steps to give the unit more of a fighting chance. In an effort to do so, they have added both experienced veterans and youthful additions to a group that already consisted of three players with starting experience in Jack, 2019 third-round pick Quincy Williams, and third-year strongside linebacker Leon Jacobs.
Jacksonville's first major move was to sign free agent veteran middle linebacker Joe Schobert, a move that would bounce Jack to weakside linebacker. Jacksonville gave Schobert a five-year contract with $22.5 million guaranteed at signing, a deal that is ultimately worth a total of $53.75 million, giving Schobert $10.75 million annually.
The Jaguars also drafted Miami linebacker Shaquille Quarterman in the fourth-round with the No. 140 overall pick, giving them a durable and experienced (52 career starts, zero missed games at Miami) to add to their arsenal, ultimately giving the Jaguars a mixture of youth and experience at the second level.
“The most important part is having the experience in the room," Schobert said in a conference call this week. "Whenever you get the young guys, the young bodies who are coming in, if they have the idea to just be an open book, ready to soak up all the information, ready to learn. A lot of these kids coming from college are just athletes who don’t have a lot of wear and tear on their bodies, so if they can soak it all in and do things the right way and listen to veterans, there’s no telling how far a lot of them can go."
Joe Schobert
Years in NFL: Entering fifth season.
Career starts: 49.
Career stats: 408 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, six interceptions, seven forced fumbles, and 20 pass deflections.
Myles Jack
Years in NFL: Entering fifth season.
Career starts: 53.
Career stats: 287 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and 10 pass deflections.
Quincy Williams
Years in NFL: Entering second season.
Career starts: 8.
Career stats: 48 tackles, two tackles for loss.
Shaquille Quarterman
Years in NFL: Entering rookie season.
Career starts: n/a.
Career stats: n/a.
Leon Jacobs
Years in NFL: Entering third season.
Career starts: 10.
Career stats: 63 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, one pass deflection.
With two experienced veterans starting at middle and weakside linebacker, and two youthful options with high-ceilings backing them up, the Jaguars have infused their linebacker room with a mix of veteran wisdom and young and developing long-term options.
Schobert and Jack will be leaned on as the Jaguars' leaders for the position group, giving Williams and Quarterman two defensive elders to lean on who has seen it all at the position. For Schobert, this kind of experience is key to unlocking the group's potential.
"The problem is that you have to have some of those veterans on the team who know what they’re doing, have been through the NFL season before because from college to NFL is a huge step up," he said.
"Just mentally, in terms of what you have to do on defense, what you have to handle. No matter who you are, it’s going to take time to process it, get a playbook down, be used to the speed of the game and the NFL. I think having a combination of that is crucial in your linebacker room. I think we have a good combination down here.”
The Jaguars will be relying heavily on each of their veteran and young linebackers to help the defense take a step forward in 2020. They have been proactive in ensuring they have the experience, leadership, athleticism, and playmaking ability to turn the defense around.
Will it pay off? Only time will tell. But nobody can say the Jaguars haven't attempted to turn a former weakness into a potential strength, both in the short- and long-term.
