JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Ryan Nielsen is ready for the challenge of getting the Jaguars defense back to being the Jaguars defense.
Saying that he’ll focus on success over scheme, Nielsen shed some light on what things will look like for Jacksonville’s new defensive coordinator.
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He met with the media for the first time on Thursday, with his thick, bushy mustache and deep voice channeling images of Sam Elliott and old Western movies. Ultimately, Nielsen will be judged on what he does to reshape a Jaguars defense that fell apart over the final month and a half of the season.
“Talent only gets you so far, so we’re really excited to get to work with these guys. They seem very eager, you try to reach out with introductions, just hello and how are you doing, introduce yourself and things like that and the staff,” Nielsen said. “The guys seem very eager and to get going.”
How Nielsen ended up in Jacksonville was a funny story. He was enjoying a day at Disney World with his family when his phone lit up. On the other end was Jaguars coach Doug Pederson.
Jacksonville’s request to interview Nielsen for their vacant defensive coordinator position had been approved by the Falcons, Nielsen’s employer. Now, all Nielsen needed to do was break free to have a conversation with Pederson.
That was easier said than done. Battling through theme park crowds is one thing, but Nielsen was already heading on the “It’s a Small World” ride with his family. The anticipation waiting that ride out was difficult.
“I looked at my wife and I was like, ‘How long is this going to be? I got to make a call!’ You don’t realize how long, I can’t remember the last time I was on Small World, but it seemed about a half an hour that ride,” Nielsen said. “Eventually, we got off and it worked out. But yes, that’s how it all [happened]. We were down there and it was really easy, came up for the interview and went from there. It was pretty interesting how it all worked out.”
After being rebuffed in their first attempt to interview Nielsen, Jacksonville finally got a chance to talk to him that day at Disney World. And the Jaguars ultimately hired Nielsen with hopes the former Atlanta defensive coordinator remaking a defense that wasn’t good enough last season. Jacksonville’s unit was inconsistent in a 9-8 season, especially during a brutal final six games. The Jaguars went 1-5 in that stretch.
That led to Pederson firing Mike Caldwell after two seasons and bringing in Nielsen a former defensive tackle at Southern California. Nielsen filled in the blanks on what his defense will look like in Jacksonville.
“We want to be a forward-leaning, forward-running, going-forward defense. And you’re going to say ‘Well, what about in the secondary and backpedal and all that,’” Nielsen said. “But when we make our break, we’re coming out of that break to go hit you.”
Nielsen said that he’s reached out to players since his hire and thinks that Jacksonville’s defensive roster is talented. Of course, the Jaguars will look a bit different come training camp. They have a slate of decisions to make from a cost perspective that could see players like safety Rayshawn Jenkins and defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi, among others, be moved on from or restructured.
A nickel corner would seem to be high on Jacksonville’s wish list this offseason. If the team brings back outside corner Darious Williams (he carries just a $500,000 dead cap charge and would save the team more than $10 million) and is happy with Tyson Campbell, that gives the Jaguars solid options there. But NFL teams lean on three corners now more than ever and the Jaguars don’t have that right now. Tre Herndon is a free agent and Jacksonville will likely try and upgrade that position, potentially with the No. 17 pick in the draft.
“That’s what we’re going to be about: tackling, takeaways, ball disruption. You have to be a good tackling defense to be a good defense. Takeaways are the number one way to limit points. Ball disruption is making the offense play not on time,” Nielsen said.
“We’re taking away a running lane or making a ball bounce or disrupting the quarterback. Then, pursuit, keeping the ball inside, proper angles, running and hitting. That’s what we’re going to be about, that’s what we’re going to stress.”
There’s also the free agent status of edge Josh Allen, who set the single-season franchise record with 17.5 sacks last season. Allen is in line for a life-changing payday and will either be franchise tagged or signed to an extension. General manager Trent Baalke said last month that Allen will be a Jaguars player in 2024.
Nielsen played a man-heavy scheme with the Falcons last season, meaning players in the secondary focus on playing one-on-one against others.
Caldwell ran a zone-heavy scheme where players were responsible for locking down areas of the field instead of individual players. Nielsen said, when asked specifically about whether Travon Walker would line up on the edge or on the inside, that he wants to put players where they can be the most successful. The scheme can be adjusted to what the players do the best.
“Here’s our philosophy with the players, we’re going to put the player in a position that he can have success first, over the scheme,” he said.
Nielsen said that his defensive staff is close to being finalized, and to expect an announcement on those faces soon.
“We have the pieces in place. It will be announced here soon. I will say this, I’m excited about the guys, I’ve worked with some of them, haven’t worked with others. Coached a few, so it’s a great group of guys that I’ve been very close to. I know that, first and foremost, good men. Secondly, really good teachers of the game. When you put those two things together, they’re eager and excited. We see a lot of similarities.”