Secondary Overhaul Underway to Fix Jacksonville Jaguars’ Big-Play Issues

For the Jacksonville Jaguars, the 2024 NFL season was marred by a glaring weakness in their defensive secondary: an inability to stop big plays, which cost them at least four games decided by one score. Opposing teams exploited the Jaguars’ secondary for 28 passes of 40+ yards (the third-most in the league) and 14 touchdowns on plays of 20+ yards (tied for fifth-most), turning routine drives into quick scores that derailed the Jaguars’ AFC South title hopes. As the team enters the 2025 offseason, a comprehensive secondary overhaul has become the top priority—one that includes personnel changes, scheme adjustments, and a renewed focus on communication and technique. Secondary Overhaul Underway to Fix Jacksonville Jaguars’ Big-Play Issues isn’t just a roster tweak; it’s a critical reset for a defense that aims to support a high-powered offense led by Trevor Lawrence. For Jaguars fans, this overhaul represents a chance to turn a liability into a strength—and to finally compete with the NFL’s top passing offenses.

Secondary Overhaul Underway to Fix Jacksonville Jaguars’ Big-Play Issues first stems from a deep dive into the 2024 film, which revealed clear patterns in the secondary’s struggles. The Jaguars’ cornerbacks struggled to stay with fast wide receivers on deep routes, allowing a 68% completion rate on passes beyond 20 yards (well above the league average of 55%). Part of the issue was physical: starting cornerback Shaquill Griffin lacked the speed to keep up with elite deep threats like the Texans’ Nico Collins, who torched the Jaguars for 152 yards and two touchdowns in their Week 10 matchup. Another problem was communication: safety Andre Cisco and free safety Rayshawn Jenkins often misread coverages, leaving wide receivers open in the end zone for easy touchdowns. Defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell summed up the film review: “We weren’t just getting beat—we were getting beat because of fundamental mistakes. Whether it was a cornerback not turning his head to find the ball, or a safety miscommunicating a coverage call, the big plays were almost always avoidable.” This realization drove the Jaguars’ offseason plan: to fix the secondary, they needed to address both talent and technique.

A cornerstone of Secondary Overhaul Underway to Fix Jacksonville Jaguars’ Big-Play Issues is the Jaguars’ aggressive approach to free agency and the draft, aimed at injecting speed and playmaking into the secondary. The team started by releasing Griffin, whose \(13 million salary didn’t match his on-field production, and signed veteran cornerback James Bradberry to a three-year, \)45 million deal. Bradberry, a four-time Pro Bowler with the Giants and Eagles, has a proven track record of stopping deep passes—he allowed just 3 deep touchdowns in 2024 and recorded 11 pass breakups. The Jaguars also used their first-round draft pick (17th overall) on Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke, a 6’1” speedster who ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine and recorded 7 interceptions in college. At safety, the Jaguars re-signed Cisco to a four-year extension but added depth by drafting Alabama safety Brian Branch in the third round, a player known for his ability to read quarterbacks and prevent big plays in the middle of the field. These additions don’t just add talent—they create competition, which Caldwell hopes will push every member of the secondary to improve.

Secondary Overhaul Underway to Fix Jacksonville Jaguars’ Big-Play Issues also includes a complete scheme reset for the Jacksonville Jaguars, moving from a aggressive man-to-man coverage approach to a more balanced mix of zone and man. In 2024, the Jaguars ran man-to-man coverage on 62% of passing plays (the fourth-most in the league), which exposed their slower cornerbacks to deep routes. This season, Caldwell plans to run zone coverage on 50% of plays, using the secondary’s improved speed to close gaps and prevent receivers from getting behind the defense. The scheme change also emphasizes communication: the Jaguars have added daily “walkthrough” sessions where the secondary practices calling coverages and adjusting to pre-snap motions, and they’ve brought in a specialist in secondary communication to help players learn to read each other’s body language. Bradberry, who played in a similar zone-heavy scheme in Philadelphia, has been instrumental in teaching the new system to younger players like Burke: “Zone coverage isn’t about being passive—it’s about being disciplined. You have to trust your teammates to cover their zones, and that starts with talking.” For the Jacksonville Jaguars, this scheme shift is about playing to the secondary’s strengths—speed and intelligence—rather than forcing them into a style that exposed their weaknesses.

Secondary Overhaul Underway to Fix Jacksonville Jaguars’ Big-Play Issues further underscores the Jacksonville Jaguars’ commitment to player development, particularly for young defensive backs who struggled in 2024. Second-year cornerback Tyson Campbell, who showed promise as a rookie but regressed in 2024 (allowing 4 deep touchdowns), has been paired with Bradberry in one-on-one drills to refine his technique. The Jaguars have also invested in technology, outfitting secondary players with wearable sensors that track their reaction time and route-running anticipation, and using virtual reality (VR) simulations to let them practice against NFL-caliber wide receivers in a controlled environment. Jenkins, the free safety who struggled with miscommunications last season, has spent extra time with Caldwell studying film of top NFL safeties like Minkah Fitzpatrick, focusing on how they read quarterbacks and adjust coverages on the fly. “We’re not just trying to add new players—we’re trying to make the players we have better,” said Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, player development is just as important as personnel changes, as it ensures the secondary can sustain success even if injuries strike.

The final takeaway from Secondary Overhaul Underway to Fix Jacksonville Jaguars’ Big-Play Issues is that this isn’t a short-term fix—it’s a long-term investment in the Jaguars’ defensive identity. The team’s front office has allocated more than $60 million in salary cap space to the secondary this offseason, a sign that they view stopping big plays as essential to competing for a Super Bowl. Early signs from OTAs (Organized Team Activities) are promising: the secondary has allowed just 2 deep completions in 10 practice sessions, and Burke has recorded 3 interceptions, including one against Lawrence in a recent scrimmage. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, the secondary overhaul is about more than fixing a weakness—it’s about giving their offense a fighting chance. Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offense scored 28 points per game in 2024, but they often had to play from behind because the secondary gave up quick touchdowns. If the secondary can cut down on big plays in 2025, the Jaguars could become one of the most balanced teams in the NFL. As training camp approaches, all eyes will be on the secondary to see if the overhaul translates to on-field success. For the Jaguars, the answer to that question could determine whether they’re a playoff team—or a championship contender.