General manager Dave Caldwell and coach Doug Marrone wanted to revamp their defense, choosing to part with four starters in hopes of cleaning up the locker room and the salary cap. They jettisoned dynamic pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue, five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Calais Campbell, cornerback A.J. Bouye and safety Ronnie Harrison.
Those moves, compounded by a few opt outs, left Jacksonville with a young unit that includes more than a dozen first- or second-year players on the depth chart.
And when a few injuries happen — the Jaguars played without pass rusher Josh Allen, linebacker Myles Jack and cornerback CJ Henderson in a 30-14 loss at AFC South rival Houston on Sunday — the inexperience really shows.