The Jaguars are heading into 2026 with something their defense hasn’t had in a while: real continuity. Anthony Campanile is back for a second season running the unit, and that matters.
But this isn’t the same defense that showed flashes a year ago. The back end looks different, the linebacker group looks thinner, and the pass-rush depth has been stripped down to a younger, leaner group.
The biggest visual change should come in the secondary. Jacksonville’s zone-heavy, vision-based approach helped fuel splash plays in key wins over the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos, but it also came with a tradeoff.
Quarterbacks were able to get the ball out quickly, averaging 2.74 seconds to throw against the Jaguars in 2025, with only the Cleveland Browns forcing faster decisions. That tension helped shape the team’s offseason approach.
Now the Jaguars are betting on different personnel and a different coverage style. Travis Hunter and Antonio Johnson have moved into starting roles, and Mathieu Araujo is now the defensive pass game coordinator overseeing the group. The secondary spent training camp working through the changes, and with Hunter stepping in as the starting cornerback, the back end of Campanile’s defense is set to look a lot different in 2026.
Linebacker is the other major area of change, and it starts with Devin Lloyd’s departure. Lloyd was one of Jacksonville’s most productive defenders last season, finishing with 81 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and a team-high five interceptions on the way to second-team All-Pro honors. But after he left for the Carolina Panthers in free agency in March, the Jaguars were left with a clear hole in the middle of the defense.
Jacksonville didn’t address the position aggressively. The team waited until training camp to add Jahlani Tavai, and its only draft pick there was seventh-rounder Parker Hughes, who is now out for the season on injured reserve.
That left Ventrell Miller and Branson Combs as the main options to replace Lloyd. Both got meaningful work with the starters, and head coach Liam Coen has said both will have a role.
The question is whether the Jaguars lean on a true split, or whether they use more defensive backs to help cover the loss.
The depth chart behind the front four has also changed dramatically. A year ago, Jacksonville could turn to veterans Dawuane Smoot and Emmanuel Ogbah, who brought a combined 263 games and 19 seasons of experience. This year, the top backup edge rushers are BJ Green, Danny Striggow, and undrafted rookie Bryan Thomas Jr., a trio that enters Week 1 with just 24 combined games and two combined seasons.
Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen still anchor the pass rush, and that part of the defense isn’t changing. But everything around them is younger now, and the Jaguars are going to need that group to grow up fast. The young edge rushers have flashed when given chances, but 2026 asks a lot more of them.
In Other News...
Travis Hunter Just Changed A Big Jaguars Week 1 Debate
The Jaguars first unofficial depth chart for Week 1 offered an early glimpse at how they plan to use Travis Hunter, and it comes with a notable twist. After spending most of the conversation around him as a receiver, Hunter is now listed as a starting cornerback and a backup wide receiver, a sign that Jacksonville is already adjusting its plans based on the shape of its roster on both sides of the ball.
For a team trying to sort out its wide receiver depth while also tightening things up defensively, Hunters placement could matter in more ways than one. His usage may end up influencing not just how the Jaguars line up in the secondary, but also how snaps are distributed in the passing game as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Already Have A Week 1 QB Issue Jaguars Fans Should Note
The Browns have settled on Deshaun Watson as their Week 1 starter against Jacksonville, but the quarterback picture behind him already looks more fluid than a clean depth chart. Shedeur Sanders is expected to back him up, and the Browns also carried rookie Taylen Green onto the 53-man roster after placing Dillon Gabriel on injured reserve, keeping a young arm in the mix as they head into the opener.
Todd Monken did not sound like a coach intent on keeping Green parked on the sideline for long. He said the rookie could see some playing time in the season opener, praising Greens athleticism and intelligence while also stressing that he still has skills to refine. For the Jaguars, it is a reminder that Week 1 could feature more moving parts at quarterback than the usual opening-day matchup suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Why One NFL Insider Believes Jaguars Success Could Actually Last
The Jaguars recent rise has started to look less like a brief hot streak and more like the kind of foundation teams hope to build around. Albert Breer pointed to the work being done under Tony Boselli, James Gladstone and Liam Coen, noting how the roster reshaping and coaching changes have helped turn Jacksonville into a team that can sustain success rather than merely flash it. A 13-win season and an eight-game winning streak give that argument some weight, especially when the progress feels tied to bigger organizational changes.
Trevor Lawrences growth has become another key part of the case, with Breer describing him as an MVP finalist and a central reason the Jaguars look more stable than they did a year ago. Just as important, the culture around the team has reportedly taken on a different feel, which matters in a league where good stretches can disappear quickly if they are not supported from within. The bigger question now is whether Jacksonvilles recent momentum is the start of something lasting, or simply the point where expectations finally catch up to the rebuild. [Read more 🡒]