Jaguars' Pass-Rush Depth Set to Take Centerstage at OTAs

The Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive end depth chart is going to be a big topic at this week's OTAs.

Aug 23, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Danny Striggow (92) tackles Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.-- The Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive end position is set to be perhaps the most important position group to watch entering this year's OTAs, and for good reason.

The Jaguars' defensive end room will once again be led by Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, but it is the depth chart behind them that could determine the Jaguars' defensive ceiling. So, what is the state of the Jaguars' defensive end room entering the start of OTAs? We break it down below.

The Locks

Jaguars linebacker Travon Walker (44) and linebacker Josh Allen (41) combine to sack Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) during the second quarter of their come-from-behind wild-card playoff win in January 2023. | Corey Perrine/The Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Josh Hines-Allen: Arguably the best player on the Jaguars' entire roster, Josh Hines-Allen is one of the NFL's top edge defenders and should once again be expected to be the anchor of the Jaguars' pass-rush.

Travon Walker: The Jaguars sent a big message to the rest of the locker room when they made Travon Walker their latest $100 million player. Walker fought through injuries last season and was still able to produce in big moments. With a healthy season, Walker's sack numbers should go back up.

Wesley Williams: Jacksonville traded up in the fourth-round to select Duke defensive end Wesley Williams, and that alone should secure his spot on the Jaguars' roster. He is a strong run defender who can play multiple alignments along the Jaguars' defensive line.

Danny Striggow: I am going to move Danny Striggow into the "locks" list after the rookie flashes he showed. He has the run-defense skill-set the Jaguars covet at defensive end and a high floor as a pass-rusher. He should be even better this year.

On the Bubble

Nov 16, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end BJ Green II (95) celebrates an interception by teammate against the Los Angeles Chargers during the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

B.J. Green: An undrafted free agent success story from a year ago, B.J. Green should have a spot on the 53-man roster. But with the additions of some new faces at defensive end, he will still have to earn that role.

Zach Durfee: A seventh-round pick in April's draft, Zach Durfee has a fascinating story and showed plenty of pass-rush traits at Washington. Perhaps he can make an impact early on as a situational pass-rusher.

Quindarius Dunnigan: An incredibly experienced defensive end who played 56 games in college, he was a team captain for Michigan State last season and has nine career sacks in college.

Bryan Thomas Jr.: The son of former long-time New York Jets defender Bryan Thomas, he led South Carolina in sacks last season with seven, while also adding 11 tackles for loss as well.

The Biggest Question

Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone talked about the upcoming NFL Draft during the Jacksonville Jaguars’ annual pre-draft luncheon press conference in the media room at the Miller Electric Center Thursday April 9, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Who wins what role?

There is no question who the top defensive ends are set to be for Jacksonville, with Hines-Allen and Walker once again poised to be the pass-rush's life blood. But behind that duo, the Jaguars have four young defensive ends who are within their first two years in the NFL that will have to battle for a role in Anthony Campanile's defense.

It stands to reason that Striggow and Williams will play important roles on base downs, rotating with Hines-Allen and Walker on running downs to help keep them fresh. Green served as a sub-package pass-rusher last season, and it appears he and Durfee will have to fight to win the lion's share of snaps in that department. There are a lot of snaps to replace with the departures of Dawuane Smoot and Emmanuel Ogbah, and these are the four who have to replace them.

Bold Prediction

Dec 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker (44) hits Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) during the second half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen Combine for 25.0 sacks

The Jaguars' edge duo was one of the best at bringing down quarterbacks in 2023-2024. Hines-Allen nearly hit 20 sacks in 2023, while Walker produced double-digit sacks in both seasons. They took a step back in terms of sack numbers last season due to Walker's injuries, but I believe they get back on track this year for two reasons.

One, Walker's health. We know Hines-Allen will impact the quarterback, and the expectation should be that a completely healthy Walker should be able to replicate his past sack numbers. Then there is the fact that the Jaguars' secondary could be improved this year with the additions of Travis Hunter and Caleb Ransaw to the mix. If they can give Walker and Hines-Allen more time to bring down the quarterback, then the Jaguars could easily see their sack numbers go up.

"I think the exciting thing from my vantage point is we got some really good football players across that defensive front, and our scheme is prepped to tie not only the rush plan but also the back-end coverage together in a way that's going to make it really impactful," James Gladstone said after the draft last month.