The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t make many changes on defense during the offseason, opting instead to bring just about everyone from the 2022 season back. Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins thinks that was a good call.
Despite the Jaguars finishing last year No. 24 in yards allowed, Jenkins says the team’s defense is set to prove its one of the NFL’s best units.
“We’re a top-five defense in the league and that’s just real,” Jenkins said Friday. “I feel like we put some good things on film last year, but this year is about being more consistent.”
That comment will probably draw scoffs, but Jenkins doesn’t care much.
“It just keeps that chip on our shoulder and that just gives us another thing to come out here and work at. The critics want to say how we’re not this and not that, I don’t even think we had any accolades on defense last year. But that’s just another thing to keep working towards and we’ll get it.”
Jenkins was on the back-end of a passing defense that finished No. 28 in yards allowed. But improvement in that area will largely depend on the development of the team’s young pass rushers. Only six teams finished with fewer sacks than the Jaguars.
If 2022 No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker finds more success in his second season and Josh Allen finds the form that made him a Pro Bowler in 2019, there will be much less pressure on the Jacksonville secondary.
