What Will Ryan Nielsen Bring to the Jaguars Defense?
There is a new sheriff in town when it comes to the Jacksonville Jaguars' defense.
After two seasons of being led by Mike Caldwell, the Jaguars made a dramatic shift this offseason by replacing Caldwell with former Atlanta Falcons coordinator Ryan Nielsen.
So, who exactly is Nielsen and what will he bring to the table for the Jaguars' defense? To find out, we asked Daniel Flick of Falcon Report to give us his scouting report on the newest Jaguars coordinator.
What were your impressions of Ryan Nielsen in your year covering him?
Flick: Nielsen's intensity jumps out immediately. From my first personal introduction with him onward, you could just feel his intensity and passion, not just in football but teaching and forming relationships. His players bought in very quickly because of the competitive fire he has, but he's more than just a rah-rah guy.
Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said last summer Nielsen was providing some of the best coaching instruction he's ever received. Nielsen is naturally more D-Line oriented because of his playing career and coaching experience, but he's a guy players rally around and respect.
What is the trademark of a Ryan Nielsen defense?
Flick: When I first think of Nielsen's defense, double mug looks come to mind instantly. He loves putting his linebackers in the A-gap and is constantly shifting and dropping players from the defensive front.
Atlanta played much more man coverage than league average, and Nielsen liked playing three-safety packages at the end of the year, in part because of injuries at linebacker and positional depth at safety but also because of the coverage improvements. Nielsen's defense is creative, energetic andis flexible enough to fit various defensive personnel. He's a rising coaching mind.
Where did Atlanta make its biggest jump under Nielsen?
Flick: The Falcons' pass rush was drastically improved this past season, recording 42 total sacks and 98 quarterback hits. In the previous two seasons, Atlanta totaled 39 sacks combined, and in 2022, had only 69 quarterback hits.
Yes, the Falcons had better personnel up front, headlined by Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree, who tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks. But Nielsen frequently proved innovative and complex with his pre-snap looks and helped create favorable rush opportunities. Better yet, Atlanta's defensive linemen were very complimentary of Nielsen in the locker room.
