The Jaguars didn’t land a new edge rusher at the trade deadline, so the pressure to help the pass rush now shifts to a familiar face: BJ Green II.
Green has been back on the practice field this week after Jacksonville opened his practice window, and he has been a full participant in consecutive sessions leading into Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans. After missing time because of the Week 1 injury, he appears to be on track for a return, giving the Jaguars the closest thing they got to a deadline upgrade on the defensive end line.
That matters because Jacksonville’s pass rush has been better than the raw sack totals suggest. The Jaguars are tied to a defense that has produced pressure in a lot of different ways, even if the sack numbers don’t jump off the page.
They rank No. 25 in sacks and No. 19 in sack rate, but they are a top-eight team in pressure rate. A big reason is how many different players are involved: 22 Jaguars have registered at least one pressure this season, from linebackers to cornerbacks to safeties.
Still, the team is clearly looking for more as it pushes through the second half of the season. Jacksonville added help at safety with Jessie Bates III and at defensive tackle with Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux, but the edge group remains centered on Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, with Danny Striggow and Bryan Thomas Jr. handling the backup work.
Striggow and Thomas have filled that role since Green went down, combining for 231 snaps through the first eight games. That works out to nearly 29 snaps a game, a sign of how much the Jaguars have leaned on their depth. If Green returns to the top of the rotation behind Hines-Allen and Walker, he could immediately matter.
Green already showed flashes as a rookie, finishing with two sacks last year. He also had a strong training camp and looked like he was lining up for a bigger role before the injury interrupted that momentum. His absence hit both the defensive line and special teams depth, and now Jacksonville gets a chance to see what he can bring in Year 2.
“I think he could be a big boost. B.J.'s got a lot of explosive qualities. I thought when he came in, and he came in, started playing for us right about this time last year," Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said Thursday.
"So obviously, battling the injury from early in the season, he's kind of going to be stepping in that same window. And I think he can give us a boost because he's an explosive guy.
I think B.J. sets an edge, is physical and all that, those elements of the early down defense, but is really a good pass rusher and gives us some transition rush. So, he's got some skills that we definitely covet here, that's why he's been here and we're excited to get him back.”
The Jaguars have built their 6-2 start on a defense that has helped them go 19-6 over the last two seasons combined. Their style often leans on forcing the quarterback to get rid of the ball quickly, and that approach has worked.
But there’s always room for a true four-man rush that can change a game on its own. Jacksonville has that kind of potential, and Green’s return is the one reinforcement they’re counting on now.
In Other News...
Jaguars Injury Report Leaves One Big Week 10 Question
Thursdays injury report offered the Jaguars a more encouraging look as they moved through practice ahead of their matchup with the Titans. Several Jacksonville players were listed as limited or non-participants, but the overall picture pointed in a better direction, with some key names getting back on the field and giving the team a clearer sense of where things stand entering the week.
Tennessees report told a much harsher story, with multiple starters already ruled out and the roster looking thin on both sides of the ball. For Jacksonville, the bigger question now is how much of that progress turns into availability by game time, especially with one important situation still hanging over the week. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars GM Defends The Risk Behind Jacksonvilles Trade Deadline Swings
James Gladstone spent the week defending the Jaguars trade deadline approach, and his message was pretty clear: the moves for Jessie Bates and Jordan Davis were made to make Jacksonville better now, not as some desperate all-in gamble. The Jaguars gave up meaningful draft capital, including early-round picks in 2027 and later selections in 2028 and 2029, but Gladstone framed the deals as part of a broader team-building plan rather than a break from it.
He also pushed back on the idea that the Jaguars are simply tossing future picks aside. Jacksonville still values draft capital, Gladstone said, but the front office is trying to manage it more flexibly by leaning on compensatory picks and keeping room to maneuver. In other words, the Jaguars are betting they can improve the roster without losing sight of the long game, even if the price of doing business looks steep right now. [Read more 🡒]
Trevor Lawrence Could Make Jaguars Fans Notice This Week 10 Stack
With a few notable fantasy regulars sidelined this week, the DFS board has opened up in a way that can make the right Jaguars stack stand out. Trevor Lawrence gets a chance to benefit from a matchup that looks friendlier than usual, and in a week when managers are hunting for value, Jacksonvilles passing game has enough moving parts to draw real attention. Parker Washington and Brenton Strange are among the names that can help make the construction work, especially with opportunity often mattering more than reputation in this part of the season.
The appeal is not just Lawrence in a vacuum, but how the pieces around him could fit together if Jacksonville leans into the passing game. With injuries thinning out other options across the league, the Jaguars have become part of the conversation for lineups looking to balance safety and upside, and that puts extra focus on how the offense distributes targets. For fantasy players, the question is whether this is the week Lawrence and company turn a decent setup into a lineup-winning stack. [Read more 🡒]