Defensive end Josh Hines-Allen is coming off a somewhat down year. Sure, he still brought the heat at a high rate but didn't make nearly as many big plays as he did in 2023, when he set a new career best for sacks in a season. To his defense, the Jacksonville Jaguars as a whole struggle. In fact, their defense was one of the worst in the league. With a new regime in place, there's a reason to believe the veteran pass rusher will rebound. Another thing working in his favor is that he's making a tweak to his game.
Hines-Allen met with the local media after Day 7 of Organized Team Activities and said that he'll play lighter this year, pointing out that bulking up in 2024 hindered his performance and took a toll on him.
"I got up to, I was 285, I was much bigger," Hines-Allen responded when asked if he hit 285 last year. "And, you know, my mindset was always to be as dominant. But it was a little, obviously, holding a little bit more weight puts a little bit more wear and tear on the body."
Hines-Allen continued, "And it was a lot too much. Again, learn to adapt, gotta know what works best for you, something I tried and something I'm like, Alright, I probably don't want to do that again. So we're working on maintaining a good goal for me this year, and put some good tape out there."
Later in the exchange, Hines-Allen said that he was a bit banged up last year but isn't sure if it had to do with being heavier, but it will be something he'll take into account next year.
"I was also getting banged up a lot more. My body was not cooperating as much as I wanted to, you know, but I take care of my body to the utmost, but it was a little bit different. So I don't know if that has something to do with the weight. That's something I'll take in consideration coming into this year," Hines-Allen said.
Last year, the Jaguars asked their defensive linemen to play heavier. Travon Walker says that it hampered the group's performance toward to end of the year, and Hines-Allen echoed that sentiment with his latest comments.
Playing lighter will allow Josh Hines-Allen to dominate for the Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars have undergone plenty of turnover since they drafted Josh Hines-Allen in 2019. Not surprisingly, that's (in part) prevented him from hitting his stride. Even though he's been dominant at times, he's also left a bit to be desired. For instance, the former Kentucky Wildcat logged a career-best 17.5 sacks in 2023 but only had 7.5 last year. Based on his comments, though, bulking up was one of the reasons why.
It also didn't help that former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen immediately rubbed players the wrong way with his arrogant demeanor. With Anthony Campanile in the fold and back at his natural weight, Hines-Allen should once again be his dominant self. The team's official website lists him at 255. Ditto Pro Football Reference. The Virginia native says he wants to be a 265 next season. It's fair to assume he weighed that amount in 2023 when he broke the sack record.
Players such as Travis Hunter and Trevor Lawrence are getting most of the spotlight. Heck, fellow pass rusher Travon Walker is making more headlines, but that doesn't mean that Josh Hines-Allen won't come through for the Jaguars in 2025, especially if he's back at his optimal weight.
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