1 Archetype Jaguars Must Add This Offseason

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be spending this offseason figuring out how to improve their Super Bowl odds for next year. They didn't come particularly close in 2025, and at the same time, they have to feel like they could have beaten anyone if the ball had just bounced a bit differently in their Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills went on to narrowly lose in overtime to the Denver Broncos, who the Jaguars beat handily back in Week 16. The New England Patriots are on the other side of the bracket in the AFC Championship after two uninspiring wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and the Houston Texans. Jacksonville might not need much to get over the hump next season, but it has to make sure that it doesn't stagnate or regress this offseason.

Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL, Houston Texans, Devin Lloyd, Travon Walker — Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker (44) celebrates a sack Houston Texans quarterback CJ. Stroud (7) with teammate Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd (0) during the first quarter between the Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday September 21, 2025 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How Jaguars can improve their pass rush

Pass rush has been a big topic of discussion for the Jacksonville Jaguars throughout the 2025 NFL season and after their first-round exit. Having to watch Josh Allen repeatedly dice up the defense despite the Buffalo Bills employing a suboptimal arsenal of weapons rubbed salt into an open wound. In their Wild Card defeat, Jacksonville generated just 17 pressures and sacked Allen only once for a net loss of 12 yards.

Overall, the Jaguars were a middle-of-the-pack pass-rush team in 2025. While they tied for sixth in the league in total pressures with 159, they ranked just 27th in sacks with 32 total for the year. Considering the talent and resources they've invested in that area of their defense, it was a tremendous disappointment that Jacksonville couldn't get to opposing quarterbacks more often.

Travon Walker and Devin Lloyd with the SACK.
Texans offense looking... not good right now. Jaguars are smothering them pic.twitter.com/M7icOTMnqX
— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) September 21, 2025

It could be a personnel issue. The Jaguars had a rotation of archetypically similar EDGEs, with Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, and Dennis Gardeck all pocket collapsers who win with power rather than speed.

Adding a defensive end with a little more burst could certainly bolster the pass rush in a big way. However, Hines-Allen and Walker are the heart and soul of this defense, and they're not likely going anywhere soon. At best, Jacksonville would be adding a depth piece on the EDGE.

Instead, the team could opt to go in a different direction in the draft or free agency, along with a schematic change. Anthony Campanile leaned into blitzing more down the stretch, which helped the Jaguars generate pressure outside of their front four. Devin Lloyd was deployed on opposing quarterbacks quite often this year, and he totaled 25 pressures and a sack as a result.

With him potentially leaving in free agency, Jacksonville could fill his void with another linebacker who specializes as a blitzer and supplementary piece for the pass rush.

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