Gene Frenette: Jaguars' first-round draft picks must rise up to change pass-rush narrative
In a year where team expectations are soaring, Jacksonville Jaguars’ outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey acknowledges the “elephant in the room” with the nine players in his position-group meetings.
All offseason, Shuey’s guys have not ignored whispers or vocal chatter in public forums about the biggest question mark hovering over the 2023 Jaguars: will the pass rush be formidable enough to make this team a Super Bowl contender?
“If that’s the elephant in the room, we don’t sit there and [verbally] drill it out, but we’re all aware of the situation,” said Shuey. “But we’re also going to pull each other up, an iron-sharpens-iron mentality.
“We’re going to get better and we’re going to rise together. Everybody is going to be pulling in the same direction.”
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Nobody in Shuey’s room will be under more scrutiny to elevate what has been a pedestrian pass rush in recent years than a trio of first-round draft picks – Josh Allen, Travon Walker and K’Lavon Chaisson – in whom the Jaguars have invested a combined $73,459,874.
With Arden Key leaving for the Tennessee Titans, and the timetable for Dawuane Smoot’s return from a torn Achilles (he was placed on the PUP list) still uncertain, the depth behind Allen and Walker remains dicey until Chaisson or younger players like Jordan Smith, De’Shaan Dixon and rookie Yasir Abdullah can prove they deserve a good chunk of playing time.
“The energy is high, we’re ready to compete,” Allen said. “Everybody has a spot to get. Nobody’s spot is clean. That’s my mindset going into every year. I want everybody to compete because I think that’s how we get better as a group.”
If the Jaguars want to be a Super Bowl contender, it’s imperative the pass rush significantly improves from last year when the team sack total of 35 tied for 25th in the NFL. In both the regular-season and AFC Divisional playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Jaguars never sacked quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes or now-retired ex-Jaguars backup Chad Henne.
There’s no need to remind Shuey’s pass-rushers about how they need to step up their game. They don’t pretend the noise about the pass rush isn’t there.
“We know the emphasis that was made this offseason,” said Allen. “We see everything, we hear everything.”
Can Walker-Allen be elite duo?
There were plenty of instances in his rookie season of Walker disrupting opposing offenses, but the lukewarm numbers of 3 1/2 sacks and 10 quarterback hits left many wondering if the No. 1 overall draft pick — playing off the edge more than he ever did at Georgia — could live up to that lofty status.
Allen had decent production (7 sacks, 22 QB hits), with no moment greater than his 37-yard TD fumble return to beat the Titans for the AFC South title. But it wasn’t enough to earn him a contract extension, so the No. 7 overall pick from 2019 is entering a prove-it season if he hopes to cash an NFL lotto ticket.
With this being the second year in defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell’s system, the burden on Walker and Allen to become a pass-rushing force like the Jaguars’ tandem of Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue were in 2017 (the NFL’s best combo with 26 1/2 sacks) is real to them.
Walker intends to use his eye-popping athleticism to diversify his pass-rush technique and silence any critics about his rookie numbers.
“My superpower is my speed and my strength,” Walker said. “God blessed me with both. Not too many guys that’s able to have speed and power, so I have to use that to my advantage, and my length as well.”
He acknowledges that he didn’t process information as quickly and efficiently as needed in 2022, causing Walker to play slower than he wanted at times and relying too much on his power.
“Sometimes, I just have to cut it loose and play with what I see,” said Walker. “I’m a basketball guy as well, so mix in some of my skills that I learned from back then. Just continue to grow with my pass-rush moves as well, not always using the same thing.”
Allen, who skipped spring OTAs to focus on his personal development, is stoked to have a second season with Walker. He also believes Caldwell will have a better feel about how to maximize their pass-rushing skills.
“I think Coach Caldwell is going to put us in a way better situation,” said Allen. “Not saying he didn’t put us in a good situation last year, but this year is going to be predicated on getting what we need. Dealing with Coach Caldwell, seeing what type of guys we have, it puts us in a better position to succeed.
“He’s given us more trust so we can go out there and perform at a very high level. He’s going to put us in those positions, especially Travon. I’m excited to see him play. His maturity has always been there. The comfortability and the play-calls, knowing what he can do and knowing he can dominate every play if need be, that’s what I’m most excited with him.”
The Jaguars will need somebody behind Allen and Walker to emerge as dependable rotational pass-rushers, but the Jaguars invested top-10 picks on them to be much higher impact players.
Allen is constantly pushing the pass-rushers, especially Walker, to affect the quarterback at a higher volume. He minces no words about the potential that has yet to come to fruition, saying: “I’m ready to be the best duo in the National Football League.”
Only twice in Jaguars’ history have two pass-rushers hit double digit sacks in the same season: Tony Brackens-Kevin Hardy in 1999, Campbell-Ngakoue in 2017. Allen sees that as a must for him and Walker.
“That’s the minimum,” said Allen. “That’s the standard now, it’s double digits and who’s going to get there first. We’re not betting, it’s just bragging rights.”
Chaisson has plenty of incentive
Few players on the roster are feeling a greater sense of urgency to produce in 2023 than Chaisson. Like Allen, he will be an unrestricted free agent after this season since the Jaguars declined to pick up his fifth-year option.
Chaisson and fellow 2020 first-round draft pick CJ Henderson, who got shipped off to the Carolina Panthers in his second season, have been huge underachievers. Chaisson has only 3 sacks, the lowest total in his first three years among 49 pass-rushers selected in the first round from 2010-20. His 11 starts are the fourth-lowest over the same time frame, both foreboding numbers.
Further complicating Chaisson’s progress is he missed eight games last season with ankle/knee injuries, limiting him to 108 snaps. In three years, Chaisson has only played 1,061 of 3,240 defensive snaps (32.7 percent) in his career, an unacceptable number for a No. 20 overall draft pick.
“When you look at it, he’s never really had the chance for a full season," said defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell. "We’re waiting for him to be healthy. When you look at him from the time we got here to now, the work he’s put in, it’s time for his hard work to pay off for him.”
Chaisson's career validates that rushing the passer, even for those coming into the NFL as first-rounders, is a difficult process that can take a lot of time. Only a select few become instant stars like J.J. Watt, Myles Garrett and Joey Bosa.
The Jaguars are hoping Chaisson can join an exclusive set of pass-rushers who had pedestrian numbers in their first three years, then turned into consistent, high-impact players. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Cameron Heyward had 7 1/2 sacks from 2011-13, then combined for 71 sacks and made six consecutive Pro Bowls over his last nine years.
Two Philadelphia Eagles who were No. 13 overall picks, Brandon Graham (2010) and Haason Reddick (2017, Arizona Cardinals), also had massive jumps in their sack totals after accumulating just 8 1/2 and 7 1/2, respectively, in their first three seasons.
While skepticism abounds whether Chaisson can make that kind of leap, the Jaguars remain optimistic the LSU product can be a valuable contributor this season if he stays healthy.
“One thing with K’Lavon is I see the consistency of his work,” said Shuey. “He’ll take something from an individual period, a walkthrough, and get into more of a speed tempo in team [periods]. I see technique and fundamentals showing up more consistently than in years past.
“He’s done everything he can from coming in shape and being ready to make sure he’s available. Now he needs some good fortune so he can stay on the field to earn those reps.”
The reality is most first-rounders like Chaisson whose careers get off to slow starts don’t change that trajectory. Two Miami Dolphins, No. 3 pick Dion Jordan (2013) and No. 22 pick Charles Harris (2017), were either out of the NFL quickly or have bounced around trying to hold down a roster spot.
By no means are the Jaguars giving up on Chaisson, but it’s undeniable this is his crossroad season. For now, Pederson says he’s the top backup to Allen and Walker, though it remains a fluid situation as Smith, Dixon and Abdullah — along with rookie Tyler Lacy — will get chances to become situational pass-rushers from different spots.
Allen showed no hesitancy about Chaisson’s need to step up his game, though he didn’t exclude himself or any of the veteran pass-rushers from the importance of playing this year with the same sense of urgency.
“Of course, I’ve always wished K’Lavon the best every year, but it’s up to him getting playing time,” said Allen. “If he’s a guy that can get a little bit more reps and we rotate a little bit better this year, I think he’s a guy that can really perform. But it’s up to him to maximize the opportunities that he gets.”
Goal: “sacks-forced fumbles”
Shuey prefers to not put too much emphasis on sack numbers, even though he knows the Jaguars must do more to affect the quarterback.
The Jaguars had 85 sacks the past three years, the second-lowest NFL total behind the Atlanta Falcons (68). But Shuey’s big concern is the team’s pressure percentage, how often his pass-rushers can be disruptive enough to force incompletions or turnovers, even when the quarterback isn’t getting sacked.
“The pressure percentage, we always want it in double digits and that’s going to move a bit for different guys,” said Shuey. “The reality of it is our main goal is sacks-forced fumbles. Sacks are important because you set offenses behind the chains and force negative plays.
“Pressures are important because that helps the back-end [pass] coverage and that should also help the pressure. Hopefully, we increase our sack numbers that way this year.”
It’s no coincidence that during the Jaguars’ six-game winning streak (including playoffs) near the end of last season, they accumulated 19 sacks, compared to a measly nine sacks in their nine total losses (playoffs included).
Many believe the Jaguars’ sack numbers will rise this season because a Trevor Lawrence-led offense may well produce more than 23.8 points per game, giving the defense more chances to put opponents in obvious passing situations.
Allen cautions that his unit can’t rely on always being given that cushion, saying: “That’s what we expect the offense to do, but when it doesn’t happen, then what happens to us? We can’t get sacks because our offense didn’t put up points? No. We can be 0-0 the whole game and if it comes down to us to make a play, we got to make that play.”
The prevailing opinion after losing Key and Smoot, at least until he elected to stay in Jacksonville, was that the Jaguars should sign a veteran pass-rusher to bolster that unit. Head coach Doug Pederson tapped the brakes, repeatedly insisting he wanted to see what his current group could deliver in training camp and preseason before entertaining that option.
“Really need to see Travon [Walker] take another step this year,” said Pederson. “We need to see Josh [Allen] continue to improve and get better.”
His assessment of Chaisson leaned more toward cautious optimism, adding: “If he continues to improve and work the way he’s been working in the offseason, hopefully, this camp is a good camp for him and you can see him in [games] a little bit more.”
Translation: The Jaguars’ pass rushers, especially its most expensive pieces, must prove they can be at least above average and come up big in game-deciding moments.
Nothing less than a Super Bowl run may depend on it.
Gfrenette@jacksonville.com: (904) 359-4540; Follow him on Twitter @genefrenette
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars edges Josh Allen, Travon Walker, K'Lavon Chaisson must step up
