With offseason programs behind us, let’s take a position-by-position look at where things stand for the Jaguars. Next up are the defensive tackles.

With offseason programs now behind us, let’s take a position-by-position look at where things stand for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Next up are the defensive tackles.

If you missed our other positional reviews, you can find them below.

Confidence in personnel and scheme

The defensive tackle position was thought to be a major need for the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. Last season, the defensive line unit as a whole ranked 32nd in ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric and 27th in run stop rate.

Consistent success for any defense begins up front with there being a steady push. When that element is there on a regular basis, particularly from the interior, every other defender on the field benefits.

However, while the outside perception was that the defensive tackle position needed a change, GM James Gladstone decided to stand pat. The only real personnel change that is taking place is that Arik Armstead is moving back inside.

This showcases the confidence that Gladstone has in the players already on the roster, along with Anthony Campanile’s defensive scheme to help elevate this unit.

In this new defense, we are going to see more movement up front and a more attacking play style. We also saw Green Bay’s defense last season–where Campanile was the linebackers coach–dial up blitzes and simulated pressures to help get after the quarterback as well.

“We certainly look forward to seeing guys being in different positions than they’ve been in the past and that being an element that activates different sides of them,” Gladstone said. “Their whole approach has been great so far, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Arik Armstead moves back to defensive tackle

As already mentioned, Armstead is moving back inside, where he was highly productive with San Francisco.

The 2024 season was Armstead’s first with the Jaguars after signing as a free agent, and with that, he moved to defensive end. Armstead had played end earlier in his career with the 49ers, but in more recent seasons, he had spent most of his time at tackle.

With Jacksonville in 2024, Armstead logged 36 pressures and ranked 32nd among all defensive ends in PFF’s pass rush win rate metric. For comparison’s sake, in 2023, while with the 49ers at tackle, Armstead recorded 58 pressures and ranked ninth in pass rush win rate.

Now moving back inside, that certainly has to factor into the aforementioned confidence that Gladstone has in this unit.

“I think that’s where I’m best,” Armstead said of the tackle position while appearing on the O-Zone Podcast. “I’ve played both in my career and had success at both, but I can have the biggest effect on the quarterback playing and rushing against guards and centers. That’s what I do best.”

A big year ahead for Jaguars’ Maason Smith

Along with Armstead moving back to tackle, another key factor in the Jaguars getting more from this unit is Maason Smith making a big jump in his second NFL season.

Smith would appear in 11 games as a rookie, totaling 14 pressures and three sacks. By PFF’s pass rush win rate metric, Smith ranked 99th among defensive tackles, and in run-stop rate, he ranked 124th.

As Smith described during OTAs, he really likes the new defensive scheme, where he feels like he has more freedom and can play with that more, get off the ball, attacking play-style.

So far, head coach Liam Coen has been impressed with what he’s seen from Smith during offseason programs.

“He’s a big one for us,” said Coen after Wednesday’s practice. “We need him to take a huge step this year. I think he’s done a great job when you talk about the offseason program, in the weight room, the conditioning, his mentality with the work ethic, and then coming out here and making it hard.”

Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive tackle depth chartArik ArmsteadMaason SmithDaVon HamiltonTyler LacyJordan JeffersonBJ Green IIKeivie RoseEli MostaertJames Carpenter