Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manger James Gladstone speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Interesting Position Tabbed as Jaguars' Biggest Need

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By John Shipley | Last updated May 10, 2025 8:00 AM ET

What is the Jacksonville Jaguars' biggest need after the 2025 NFL Draft?

Opinions certainly vary, but Pro Football Focus has landed on an interesting one: safety.

"The Jaguars struggled at safety in 2024 with Andre Cisco and Darnell Savage. Cisco left in free agency, but Savage, who recorded a 46.2 PFF overall grade this past season, remains. He is now joined by Eric Murray, who earned a 63.7 PFF overall grade with the Texans. Can Jacksonville get better top-end play from that group, which now includes Antonio Johnson and rookie Caleb Ransaw?" PFF said.

One aspect of this summary that is going unnoticed is the fact that Darnell Savage played a much different role for the Jaguars over the second half of the season than he was originally designed to.

Savage's first role with the Jaguars as as a nickel defender, which more aligns with his skill set as an explosive downhill player who can thrive in man coverage. When moved to safety, Savage was not able to display those parts of his game as frequently.

Safety was a massive need for the Jaguars entering the offseason -- arguably the biggest need on the rostef rom a depth chart perspective. But with the additions of Caleb Ransaw in the third-round, Rayuan Lane III in the sixth-round as depth and a special teamer, and Eric Murray as a reliable veteran starter, it sure seems like the safety room has improved.

Now, two of those three names have yet to make their NFL debuts and there is projection involved. With that said, each seems like a fit for what the Jaguars want to do and should provide an instant upgrade.

There are still some holes on the roster that need addressing, particularly at cornerback, defensive tackle and, yes, still edge rusher. Safety could be lumped into that group as well and should likely be thought of as more pressing than edge rusher due to the difference in top-level between the position groups.

If the Jaguars' safeties do not play as well as expected, however, this could be a position we see as a need once again during the 2026 offseason.

For now, only time and the results on Sunday will truly tell.