ESPN raises key question about Jaguars’ pass rush

The 2026 NFL Draft has come to a close, and the Jacksonville Jaguars have already been deemed a disappointment. The Jaguars were given low grades by most analysts, and that underwhelming verdict can't be proven wrong for several years.

ESPN gave one question for each team to answer after the draft, and keeping in line with other analysts, Michael DiRocco asked how the Jaguars can improve their pass rush. DiRocco insinuated that Jacksonville didn't put in enough effort to address this issue, and as such, it remains a concern:

The Jaguars finished 27th in sacks (32) last season but didn't add a pass rusher in free agency and didn't draft an edge rusher until they took Wesley Williams, who had 11 total sacks in his past three college seasons, in the fourth round," DiRocco wrote.

GM James Gladstone admitted that the pass rush isn't any better today than when the season ended, but he's confident it will be as the defensive scheme evolves in the second year under coordinator Anthony Campanile. It's unlikely the Jaguars will add any of the unsigned veteran pass rushers available, so the pressure is on for the duo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker to step up production.

To be clear, the Jaguars drafted multiple people to potentially bolster the pass rush; the first, Williams, was specifically lauded by Gladstone for his ability to rush both the run and the pass, and said that what the Jags are chasing is versatility.