3 Training Camp Questions Facing Jaguars DEs: Depth Behind Josh Hines-Allen

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars' pass-rush has been a much-talked about topic since the days of Sacksonville, and 2026 is no different.

With the Jaguars' talented duo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker leading the defensive end unit entering training camp, what are the biggest questions facing the unit entering the 2026 season? We break it all down below.

Do the Jaguars Have Enough Depth Behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker?

Oh, this old question. Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker are one of the best pass-rush duos in all of football and have been since they first joined forces in 2022. But for most of their tenure as a duo, the Jaguars have not exactly had a deep rotation of pass-rushers behind them. Pass-rushers do not grow on trees, no, but solutions like Myles Cole, Arik Armstead at defensive end (that really happened!), and last year's duo of Dawuane Smoot Emmanuel Ogbah have not really provided much production.

The Jaguars know this is annually their biggest question to answer, but they really didn't do much at the room this year outside of adding two Day 3 rookies and a few interesting undrafted free agents. The Jaguars are relying on coaching and internal development this season, and they will have to prove to be right over the course of the season.

Which of the Rookies Makes a Quicker Impact?

The Jaguars spent two Day 3 picks on defensive ends, selecting Duke defensive end Wesley Williams in the fourth-round and then Washington pass-rusher Zach Durfee in the seventh round of the draft. The Jaguars will certainly have chances for each player to carve out some kind of role for themselves, both on defense and special teams, but who will make an impact first?

It is worth pointing out the Jaguars traded up in the fourth-round to select Williams. So not only does Williams have a three-round edge on Durfee, but the Jaguars spent multiple draft picks to ensure he would be a piece of their defense. He seems to fit what Anthony Campanile likes at the position, so there is reason to believe he could be the first rookie to really carve out a role.

Durfee meanwhile has the pass-rush skill-set that normally is drafted several rounds earlier than the final round of the draft. He has a lot of upside, and it seems like he simply has to finish putting it all together and stay healthy in the process of doing so before he is able to really make a dent on the defense.

What Does Year 2 Look Like For Striggow and Green?

The Jaguars got really solid rookie year contributions from former undrafted free agents Danny Striggow and B.J. Green, who each made the 53-man roster out of training camp a year ago. There is little reason to think the Jaguars are not expecting both young defensive ends to take a step considering the moves the Jaguars did and didn't make at the position this offseason. Not signing a veteran pass-rusher, and instead letting two walk, said it all about what the Jaguars see in Green and Striggow.

With that said, it is still to be determined exactly what kind of production the Jaguars could be set to see from their sophomore efforts. Green and Striggow flashed several times last year and seemed to get better with the more snaps they got later in the season. But with them set to replace Dawuane Smoot and Emmanuel Ogbah, there are still questions that they will have to answer to ensure the Jaguars' pass-rush can truly take a step forward in 2026.

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