No coach in the history of the NFL has ever complained about having too many good pass rushers. When talent stacks up at the position, the challenge is finding the best way to get them all on the field together.
So it is in Jacksonville in 2019. With rookie Josh Allen looking like a wunderkind off the edge right out of the gate, defensive coordinator Todd Wash is in an enviable spot. He has three defensive ends who can all destroy signal-callers, in Yannick Ngakoue, Calais Campbell and Allen.
Wash said he's perfectly comfortable changing up his scheme to ensure Ngakoue and Allen are on the field more together.
"It's obvious we have to get our best players on the field," Wash said. "So obviously we've got two very good defensive ends in Josh and Yannick. We've got to come up with ways to get them both on the grass at the same time."
Wash tinkered with that plan last week against Miami, moving to more of a 3-4 defense from his usual 4-3 alignment to get Allen on the field. It paid off with the rookie showing great burst off the edge, gobbling up two tackles for loss and two QB hits in limited time.
"We have to be able to tweak our system a little bit, but that's our job as coaches is to put them in position to be successful and hopefully we can do," Wash said.
The Jags defense could be similarly stingy in 2019 as it was two years ago when they stonewalled their way to the division title. With Andrew Luck's retirement turning the entire AFC South on tilt and the improvement at QB with Nick Foles, the Jags could once again have an opening to the division title.
First, Wash has to ensure his best defenders see the field together as much as possible.
