The Jaguars’ edge room still starts and ends with Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, but the real training camp test is everything behind them.
That has been the story for years in Jacksonville. Hines-Allen and Walker have formed one of the best pass-rush duos in football since they joined forces in 2022, yet the Jaguars have not consistently built much of a rotation around them. The names have changed - Myles Cole, Arik Armstead at defensive end, and last season’s pairing of Dawuane Smoot and Emmanuel Ogbah - but the production behind the top two has not been enough.
This offseason, Jacksonville did not make a major splash to fix it. Instead, the team is betting on coaching, development and a handful of young players to carry the load. That means the biggest question in the room is still the same one: can the Jaguars get real depth from within?
The draft offered two chances to do that. The Jaguars used a fourth-round pick on Duke defensive end Wesley Williams after trading up, then added Washington pass-rusher Zach Durfee in the seventh round.
Both should get opportunities to contribute on defense and special teams, but Williams appears to have the clearer path. He has a three-round edge, and the Jaguars spent extra draft capital to make sure he was part of the plan.
He also looks like a fit for what Anthony Campanile wants from the position.
Durfee brings a different kind of intrigue. His pass-rush traits are the sort that usually get players taken much earlier than the final round. The upside is there; the question is whether he can finish the package and stay healthy long enough to turn that upside into something real.
The rookies are only part of the picture. Danny Striggow and B.J.
Green both made the 53-man roster as undrafted rookies last year, and the Jaguars got solid contributions from each. That matters now because the team did not add a veteran pass-rusher this offseason and let two walk instead.
That decision says plenty about how the Jaguars view Green and Striggow heading into their second seasons.
Still, “solid” is not the same as settled. Green and Striggow both showed flashes last season, and both seemed to improve as their snap counts rose later in the year. Now they are being asked to replace Smoot and Ogbah, and that leaves a real question hanging over the unit: can those sophomore steps be enough to push Jacksonville’s pass rush forward in 2026?
In Other News...
Travis Hunters Camp Video Had Jaguars Fans Doing A Double Take
Training camp has a way of turning even the smallest details into talking points, and Travis Hunter managed to give Jaguars fans one of those offbeat moments this week. A video shared by his wife showed a care package being put together for the rookie, complete with the usual camp essentials, but one item in particular stood out enough to get people looking twice.
The reveal was simple enough: Hunter prefers women's deodorant over men's, a choice that quickly became a conversation starter online. It is the kind of quirky personal preference that does not change anything on the field, but in a camp setting where every glimpse of a player gets picked over, it was enough to spark plenty of jokes and discussion among fans and even some players. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Camp Has One Looming Question That Could Shape Year 2
The Jaguars head into Year 2 under Liam Coen with a roster that looks familiar in all the right places, which is usually a good sign in late July. Trevor Lawrence is back after a breakout season that put him in the MVP conversation, and most of the offense returns around him, while the defense also brings back much of its core even with new faces stepping in at linebacker and cornerback. Add in 10 open camp sessions for fans and the usual buzz that comes with Jacksonvilles summer practices, and there is plenty for this team to sell as it tries to build on last years success.
One of the most interesting pieces of that picture is Travis Hunter, who is working his way back after missing most of his rookie season and is expected to line up at cornerback opposite Montaric Brown while still handling both sides of the ball. The Jaguars clearly see him as a difference-maker if he can stay on the field, and his role only adds to the sense that camp is less about finding out who this team is and more about figuring out how high the ceiling can go. Even with so much settled, the biggest test may be whether the pieces around Lawrence and Hunter can turn continuity into something more than just familiarity. [Read more 🡒]
Antonio Johnson Faces A Huge Jaguars Camp Test
Antonio Johnson heads into Jaguars training camp with a chance to turn last seasons breakout into something even bigger. After earning more playing time in 2025 and showing he can move around the secondary, the safety has become one of the more interesting pieces on Jacksonvilles defense, especially with his ability to handle multiple roles depending on what the staff needs.
Johnson is also entering the final year of his rookie deal, which adds another layer to camp beyond the usual competition for snaps. The Jaguars have reason to see him as more than just a useful depth piece now, but the next step is proving he can hold that spot when the pads come on and the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]