In search of support for their secondary, the Jacksonville Jaguars might've finally found their man, but it's not Stephon Gilmore. According to reports, veteran safety Adrian Amos has signed with the Jaguars, giving Jacksonville a little extra help on defense. Amos had 23 tackles in 11 games for the New York Jets last season and then played in five for the Houston Texans. Before that, Amos spent the previous four seasons as a starter with the Greem Bay Packers, often playing alongside Darnell Savage. Savage signed with the Jaguars this offseason, so the duo will get a chance to renew that partnership in Jacksonville.
In their heyday in Green Bay, Amos and Savage were the best defensive backfield tandem in the NFL. They continually frustrated opposing offenses, and Green Bay had a top-ten passing defense every season they played together. While it's been a while since they last played together, Amos and Savage can spark a Jaguars passing defense that finished 25th in passing yards allowed last season.
How will the Jaguars do this season?
After falling apart down the stretch last season, Jacksonville could re-emerge as the top dog in the AFC South. But it'll depend on Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars' offense regaining their magic as one of the most dynamic offenses in the AFC and on whether Jacksonville can keep Lawrence upright.
Lawrence faltered in the second half of the 2023 campaign when injuries limited his abilities from the pocket. But if Lawrence can stay healthy, Jacksonville has a legitimate shot at challenging the Houston Texans for the divisional crown—especially after the moves the Jaguars made this summer.
Off the top, free-agent signee Gabe Davis and first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. could give Jacksonville's offense the big-play element it lacked last year. Those deep homerun threats would create more space for wide receiver Christian Kirk and tight end Evan Engram to work between the hashes, keeping defenses honest. While it won't be easy to replace the loss of Calvin Ridley, the Jaguars have the tools to press opponents with their offense.
But to make that happen, it will fall on the shoulders of the offensive line. Jacksonville's line forced the offense to play uphill for most of 2023. The unit's ineffectiveness at the line of scrimmage resulted in the offense finishing with the second-most runs (120) of zero yards or negative gains, per ESPN.
With the team unable to create room at the point of attack, the Jaguars faced too many long-yardage situations, which exposed their faulty line in the running game and pass protection. Lawrence took 35 sacks in 16 games, the twelfth most in the NFL. If Jacksonville wants to win it all, they must keep Lawrence healthy. To do that, the offensive line needs to be much better.
Follow Us
Subscribe