Defensive Tackles Seek Redemption for Jacksonville Jaguars in New Season

For the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense, the 2024 season was a tale of two units: a standout edge-rushing group led by Josh Allen and a struggling defensive tackle corps that often left gaps in the run game and failed to generate consistent interior pressure. This imbalance—elite play on the edges, inconsistency in the middle—cost the Jaguars multiple close games and ultimately limited their playoff run to a single game. As the team enters the 2025 season, the defensive tackles have made “redemption” their rallying cry, determined to fix last season’s flaws and become a strength rather than a liability. Defensive Tackles Seek Redemption for Jacksonville Jaguars in New Season isn’t just a goal for a group of players; it’s a critical piece of the Jaguars’ plan to compete for an AFC South title and a deep postseason run. For a defense that aims to rank among the NFL’s top 10, the defensive tackles’ improvement could be the difference between falling short and realizing their championship potential.

Defensive Tackles Seek Redemption for Jacksonville Jaguars in New Season first stems from the unit’s disappointing 2024 performance, which exposed clear areas for growth. Collectively, Jaguars defensive tackles allowed 4.8 yards per rushing attempt (ranking 26th in the NFL) and recorded just 5.5 sacks (28th in the league)—numbers that paled in comparison to the edge rushers’ 28 sacks. The run defense struggles were particularly glaring against top-tier backs: Derrick Henry of the Titans rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns in their Week 5 matchup, while the Texans’ Dameon Pierce averaged 6.2 yards per carry in their two meetings. In the passing game, the defensive tackles failed to collapse the pocket consistently, forcing Allen and fellow edge rusher Travon Walker to face more double teams than necessary. This lack of interior pressure allowed opposing quarterbacks to step up in the pocket and extend plays, leading to 11 passing touchdowns allowed in the red zone (tied for 22nd in the NFL). For the defensive tackles—including returning players like DaVon Hamilton and Roy Robertson-Harris—these stats are a constant reminder of what went wrong, and they’ve used that frustration to fuel their offseason work.

To turn the tide, Defensive Tackles Seek Redemption for Jacksonville Jaguars in New Season has been supported by a targeted offseason overhaul, both in personnel and preparation. The Jaguars added veteran defensive tackle Linval Joseph in free agency—a 13-year NFL veteran who has recorded 31.5 career sacks and been a staple of top-ranked run defenses in Minnesota and Los Angeles. Joseph, known for his strength (he can bench-press 450 pounds) and ability to plug run lanes, brings both talent and leadership to the group, having mentored young defensive linemen in previous stops. The team also drafted Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham in the second round, a player known for his quickness off the line and ability to generate interior pressure (he recorded 7 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in his final college season). Beyond new additions, the defensive tackles have overhauled their training routine: they’ve added more one-on-one blocking drills to improve their technique, spent extra time studying film of top NFL defensive tackle units (like the San Francisco 49ers’), and worked closely with new defensive line coach Terrell Williams—who helped turn the Cleveland Browns’ defensive line into a force in 2023. This combination of new talent and intentional preparation has the group feeling confident they can reverse last season’s fortunes.

Defensive Tackles Seek Redemption for Jacksonville Jaguars in New Season also highlights the personal motivation of returning players like DaVon Hamilton, who is eager to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2024 season. Hamilton, a fifth-year player who signed a four-year extension with the Jaguars in 2023, missed six games last season with a knee injury and never fully regained his 2023 form (when he recorded 3 sacks and 10 tackles for loss). This offseason, he focused on strengthening his knee and improving his endurance, participating in daily rehab sessions and adding yoga to his training regimen to enhance flexibility. “Last season was frustrating—I felt like I let the team down,” Hamilton said in a recent training camp interview. “This year, I’m healthy, I’m stronger, and I’m ready to be the player they signed me to be.” Hamilton’s return to form is critical for the Jacksonville Jaguars, as he’s the only returning defensive tackle with a proven track record of success in their system. His leadership—he’s taken Graham under his wing to teach him the Jaguars’ defensive schemes—has also been invaluable, helping the new additions integrate quickly and fostering a sense of unity within the unit.

Defensive Tackles Seek Redemption for Jacksonville Jaguars in New Season further aligns with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ broader defensive strategy, which relies on a balanced pass rush and a stingy run defense to limit opponents. Defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell runs a hybrid 4-3 scheme that requires defensive tackles to do double duty: clog run lanes in base packages and generate pressure in passing situations. Last season, the defensive tackles’ struggles forced Caldwell to adjust—often using extra linebackers to stop the run, which left the secondary vulnerable to deep passes. This season, with a improved defensive tackle group, Caldwell plans to revert to his original scheme, allowing the edge rushers to focus on getting to the quarterback and the linebackers to drop into coverage. “If our defensive tackles can hold their own, it opens up everything for us,” Caldwell explained. “We can be more aggressive in our playcalling, we can limit the number of double teams on Josh and Travon, and we can keep our secondary from being exposed. That’s the difference between a good defense and a great one.” For the Jacksonville Jaguars, this strategic shift—fueled by the defensive tackles’ redemption quest—could make their defense one of the most versatile and feared in the NFL.

The final takeaway from Defensive Tackles Seek Redemption for Jacksonville Jaguars in New Season is that this group’s success isn’t just about individual stats—it’s about collective impact. The defensive tackles don’t need to be the NFL’s top unit overnight, but they do need to be consistent: stopping the run on first and second down, generating enough pressure to keep quarterbacks honest, and avoiding the costly mistakes that derailed last season. Early signs from training camp are promising: the defensive tackles have allowed just 3.2 yards per rushing attempt in scrimmages, and Graham has recorded two sacks in preseason action. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, the defensive tackles’ redemption story is about more than fixing a weakness—it’s about proving that the team can address its flaws and grow together. As the season kicks off, all eyes will be on Hamilton, Joseph, Graham, and the rest of the group to see if they can turn their offseason promise into on-field results. If they do, the Jaguars’ defense could become a force to be reckoned with—and the team could take a major step toward competing for a Super Bowl. For the defensive tackles, redemption isn’t just a goal—it’s a chance to leave their mark on a franchise that’s hungry for success.