The Jacksonville Jaguars had a good defense in 2023, but felt that it had untap potential, so they fired Mike Caldwell and brought in Ryan Nielsen to take the unit to new heights. On paper, the decision made sense, as Nielsen had success in each of his previous two stops. Unfortunately, he came crashing down in his lone season with the Jags.
With Nielsen at the helm, the Jacksonville defense became one of the worst in the NFL. Looking back, it's easy to see why. He asked defensive linemen to put on unnecessary weight, and alienated most players with his arrogant demeanor. If that wasn't enough, his convoluted scheme confused players and prevented them from performing to the best of their capabilities.
To nobody's surprise, Nielsen got the boot, and Anthony Campanile became the defensive coordinator after the Jags hired Liam Coen as the head coach.
Coen will be mostly focused on the offense and will give Campanile the flexibility to lead his unit however he sees fit. This has led Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated to wonder whether he'll be able to succeed as a first-year defensive coordinator.
Manzano took a look at several questions the Jags are facing ahead of the 2025 season and concluded that how the defense will perform under Campanile is the biggest one. Here's the skinny.
"It's unknown whether Coen can oversee a defense or if he's more of a hands-off coach in this area," Manzano wrote. "If so, did he and Gladstone make the right move by opting for first-time defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile? After ranking near the bottom of most major statistical categories last season, this defense will need plenty of attention."
Manzano continued, "The new coaching staff has a handful of intriguing players, including edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, Devin Lloyd, Foyesade Oluokun, Tyson Campbell and veteran newcomer Jourdan Lewis. The secondary could also get a boost from Hunter if he is capable of playing both sides of the field."
All things considered, Manzano raises a valid question. While Campanile has excelled as a linebackers coach and even earned prior consideration for a defensive coordinator position, this is the first time he's tasked with overseeing the whole defense.
Granted, experience doesn't account for much if you are bad at your job, but giving the keys to the defense to a first-time coordinator always comes with uncertainty. That said, Campanile should be up to the task.
Why the Jaguars defense is in great hands with Anthony Campanile at the helm
The Jacksonville Jaguars ranked 27th in points allowed and 31st in total yards last season despite the fact that they had a handful of talented pieces. On the other hand, injuries exposed their lack of depth, and once key players got hurt, the defense crumbled. To remedy that, the new regime has brougth in several playmakers and bolstered the depth at every position group.
It will now be up to Campanile to get the most out of the talent he's been given. Working in his favor is that the cupboard isn't bare, far from it. He's got a pair of dominant pass rushers in Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. If Arik Armstead, who'll once again line up inside, bounces back and the defensive coordinator helps sophomore Maason Smith take his game to the next level, Jacksonville's front four will be a force to be reckoned with.
Their linebacker is among the best in the league, and should be much better with Campanile leading the way. On the other hand, he'll have no shortage of talent to work with at cornerback. The group of Tyson Campbell, Jourdan Lewis, Travis Hunter, and Montaric Brown could give the defensive coordinator a good problem to have.
Campbell's biggest challenge will probably be to sort out the safety room. The Jags have a handful of intriguing pieces, and he'll need to get the right mix. Whether that's rookie Caleb Raleb Ransaw, Andrew Wingard, or Antonio Johnson next to Eric Murray remains to be seen.
Ultimately, the bar is set relatively low after the dismissal of Ryan Nielsen, but nobody will bat an eye if Anthony Campanile exceeds expectations and turns the defense into a top-10 unit next season.
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