Post-Draft Jaguars Mailbag: What Will Changes Mean for the Defense?

As the 2020 offseason progresses, JaguarReport will take Jacksonville Jaguars-related questions from social media and give our takes on the most pressing questions fans have about their team. From quarterbacks, to free agency, to the NFL Draft, we address it all.

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This week we discuss the potential changes coming to the defensive side of the ball, how the Jaguars would stack up vs. a few other teams, and more.

From @Rachaelfla : Has Todd Wash ever coached a 3-4 defense?

In his NFL coaching career, which spans back 2007 when he was hired as a defensive quality control coach by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Wash has never been a part of a defense which was predominantly a 3-4 unit. Wash was the Bucs' defensive line coach for the three seasons following as they ran a 4-3 defense under Monte Kiffin and Raheem Morris, before eventually leaving to become the defensive line coach with the Seattle Seahawks from 2011 to 2012. Seattle was another 4-3 team at the time.

Since 2013, Wash has held different roles on Jacksonville's defensive staff, but the constant has been that the scheme has been a 4-3 defense as opposed to 3-4 -- Wash has even remained adamant in using a 4-3 scheme in the past.

With that said, the defensive scheme Jacksonville has used in the last several years is closer to being a 4-2-5 defense, with the Jaguars in nickel most of the time. 4-3 is the base defense, but the nickel cornerback plays more often than the third linebacker.

From @Jags082: Would Washington beat the Jaguars?

This is a tough one. Washington's defensive front would likely dominant the Jaguars: between Jonathan Allen, Chase Young, Ryan Kerrigan, and Daron Payne, Washington's front has the potential to be a top-tier group. With that said, it is also hard to see Washington being able to score many points on Jacksonville considering their own porous offensive line and a second-year quarterback who struggled more often times than not as a rookie.

Ultimately I think this game would be close. The two teams aren't too far apart in terms of talent, but the Jaguars may just have the edge in terms of playmakers on both sides of the ball and at quarterback.

From @NoahStrack: How many games does Minshew have to win before trying to get Lawrence fades?

I think if Minshew can match or eclipse the win total from 2019 (six wins), he has a decent shot to be the quarterback following 2020. Jacksonville's roster has lost a lot of key pieces this offseason so getting to six wins, especially against a second-half schedule which features a number of difficult games, would be a more positive outcome than many others project.

Ideally, Minshew would have a better season in 2020 than he had in 2019. By him taking the next step, Jacksonville would have a solid shot at eclipsing their six wins from a year ago. As long as he comes close to that, it should put out the Trevor Lawrence fire.

From @llamafeed : Thoughts on Daniel Thomas taking #20 ?

Somebody had to take it. There are 90 players on the roster heading into training camp, and only so many of these numbers can go to defensive backs. That number wasn't going to go to CJ Henderson for obvious reasons, so why not give it to another member of the draft class?

From @LinkCraft21: Who starts at WR No. 2? Conley again or Laviska, or is there a rotation for that position? Also, is Dede the permanent slot or is there someone else who can play there ?

I think Chris Conley will start the season on the outside across from DJ Chark as Laviska Shenault develops under Keenan McCardell. Shenault still needs work on his route running and overall consistency, while he will also have a decent amount of responsibilities on his plate due to the roles the Jaguars have envisioned for him. I believe as the season progresses, however, so will Shenault's reps on the outside.

With the slot position, the answer is more up in the air. Dede Westbrook should be the presumptive starter at the position and see the lions share of the reps, but Chark, Shenault, and Keelan Cole all have the ability to play the position as well.

From @lukasam19 : What are the odds that Yannick and Fournette get dealt before the start of the season and what do you think we can get for them?

I don't think the odds are great at all. With Yannick Ngakoue, the best-case scenario for the Jaguars would have been to trade him before the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Getting 2021 picks doesn't hep the Jaguars any in 2020, which is a must-win season for Dave Caldwell and Doug Marrone. While it would help the Jaguars in the long-term, they still have to consider the short-term implications.

As for Fournette, it appears every team who had a need at running back filled the need via the draft. The market for him simply isn't there, so it appears more likely the Jaguars will let him play out the final year of his contract instead of moving him elsewhere.

From @kyyyyyyy1e : What happens to Leon Jacobs if we move to more 3-4?

Leon Jacobs has some pass-rush ability so he could potentially play outside linebacker in a 3-4, but he struggles in space so this would be a bit of a strange fit for him. Maybe he could make a move to inside linebacker, but the Jaguars already have two players there in Joe Schobert and Shaquille Quarterman who have more experience at the position. Jacobs may just be the odd man out.

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