The Jacksonville Jaguars parted ways with defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell after a second-half collapse in the regular season. Following the rejection of many interview requests by other NFL teams, it appears the Jaguars have moved their attention to their next target.
Jacksonville’s defense wasn’t its biggest issue late in the season, but it declined after starting the season as a top-10 unit. In the Jaguars’ final seven games, opponents averaged a 42 percent third-down conversion rate and over 350 total yards per game.
Jacksonville Jaguars defense figures for 2023: 5.4 yards per play (20th), 32.3% scoring rate (10th), 22.6% pressure rate (12th), 89.8 QB rating (17th), 6.1% sack rate (26th).
However, the Jaguars’ initial efforts to locate a top defensive coordinator were unsuccessful. Jacksonville requested interviews with Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Everon and Atlanta Falcons defensive play-caller Ryan Nielsen, but both were denied.
Jacksonville has arranged an interview with former New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, and he’s one of the possibilities the Jaguars are most interested in.
If Martindale becomes head coach in Jacksonville, the Jaguars’ defense might undergo significant changes in 2024. Last season, the team had the NFL’s ninth-highest blitz rate (30%). Martindale is significantly more aggressive, with the Giants’ defense blitzing at 45.4 percent in 2023 and 40 percent in 2022.
Martindale would be the type of defensive coordinator who can transform pressures into sacks for a Jaguars unit that struggled to do so last season. Furthermore, his reputation among teammates for running an incredibly aggressive defense may restore faith in Jacksonville’s defense within the locker room next season.
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