Aug 9, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile stands with head coach Liam Coen on the sidelines during a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images Travis Register-Imagn Images

Jaguars' Free Agent Signee Speaks on New Defense's Potential

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Aug 23, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars are hoping for a bounce-back season after their poor showing in 2024. The primary focus has been on what quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the offense can do under the guidance of new head coach Liam Coen. However, there was plenty of room for improvement on the other side of the ball, too.

The Jaguars' defense allowed the second-most yards in the NFL last season. They were a tad better in scoring, relinquishing the sixth-most points, but that may speak more on the quality of their opponents last year than anything Jacksonville did. Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile was brought in to replace Ryan Nielsen, and he'll have a host o f new promising talent to help him improve this unit in 2025.

The Jaguars will have a bunch of new faces on D this season, including second-overall pick Travis Hunter Jr. They weren't even satisfied with the moves they made in the draft and free agency, recently trading for defensive tackle Khalen Saunders . One of their most exciting additions came early on, when Jacksonville signed cornerback Jourdan Lewis.

Jourdan Lewis is excited about the Jaguars' new defense

Jourdan Lewis is set to slot in as the Jacksonville Jaguars' new nickelback, alongside corners Jarrian Jones and Tyson Campbell in the secondary. The team has high hopes for their free agent acquisition, as they inked him to a three-year, $30 million contra ct, making him the top-paid nickel in the NFL at the time.

This came after a marvelous season from Lewis for the Dallas Cowboys, where he graded 15th among all cornerbacks in coverage for Pro Football Focus. His addition will be a huge presence for an exciting young defense, one that's impressed Lewis early on. Jacksonville media asked him what he's learned about his new teammates so far:

"How resilient they are. It was hot. We were doing special teams, and the periods were coming fast. It was just back-to-back-to-back. We didn’t have the offense go, and then we went. It was just us going. So, the way they fought and went out there and handled business, it means everything. Especially in this kind of environment. It was hot and muggy, and we just got after it. So, I'm happy with what we did."

He's confident that this unit will impress in the 2025 NFL season:

"We’ve just got to keep ascending, man. That's all we are worried about. Just keep getting better and wherever the chips lie when the first week comes, it is. But I feel like I'm really confident in this team, this defense. I'm confident in our ability and our coaches to put us in the right situation. So extremely glad to see where we are right now."

There's a lot of exciting new talent on the Jaguars' defense for this upcoming campaign. Jourdan Lewis could prove to be one of the most important additions in the league this year.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and weigh in on Jourdan Lewis' comments.

Please let us know your thoughts on the Lewis signing when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: