1. Jacksonville Jaguars
This is in large part due to the ACL injury that rookie first-round pick Dante Fowler Jr. suffered in his first practice as a member of the Jaguars. Gus Bradley and company were expecting him to be featured as a roaming pass-rush threat in the defense’s front seven. While it’s hard for one guy, especially a rookie, to make such an impact, this is what Jacksonville was banking on. Without Fowler Jr. in the mix, the Jaguars are going to be in trouble.
While the Jaguars’ defense did rank sixth in the NFL with 45 sacks, most of those were fluky more than anything. This unit ranked in the bottom fourth of the NFL in terms of a pass-rush grade (via Pro Football Focus, subscription required). It also failed to put up consistent pressure on the quarterback, ranking among the worst defenses in the league in quarterback hurries. Sacks are fine and dandy, but teams must find a way to put pressure on the quarterback when not racking up that vastly overrated stat.
Overall, the Jaguars defense ranked near the bottom in nearly every single statistical category last year. It was 26th in points against, 22nd against the pass, 27th against the run and 26th in total defense. With other teams improving through free agency and the draft, Jacksonville is just stuck here. Outside of Fowler Jr., it really didn’t add anyone of substance on a defense that has been among the worst in the NFL over the past few seasons.