Rayshawn Jenkins didn’t make much of an impact in his first season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. After signing with the team as a free agent, the safety finished 2021 with no interceptions, forced fumbles, sacks, and three passes defended.
A year later, Jenkins was a significant impact player. The safety finished 2022 with three picks, three forced fumbles, a sack, and 12 passes defended.
“His leadership, his toughness we saw last year,” Pederson said of Jenkins in a press conference Monday. “Just understanding the defense … that leadership on the field, I see it every day we’re out on the grass.
“He’s one of those guys that you lean on, from my standpoint. You ask a lot of those guys because they’re starters and they’re valuable to your team. He’s done a nice job.”
Jenkins, 29, was a team captain during the 2021 season, but didn’t receive the honor after Foye Oluokun was added to the roster in 2022. While he doesn’t have the “C” on his chest anymore, the veteran safety is one of the elder statesmen in a secondary full of young players.
Two starters — Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco — were drafted in 2021. The Jaguars added another five defensive backs in the 2022 and 2023 drafts: Antonio Johnson, Erick Hallett II, Christian Braswell, Gregory Junior, and Montaric Brown.
