Nielsen replaces Mike Caldwell, fired by head coach Doug Pederson one day after the end of the 2023 season.
JACKSONVILLE — Los Jacksonville Jaguars They are about to confirm the hiring of Ryan Nielsen as their new defensive coordinator, league sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Nielsen He spent last season as defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons after spending the previous six years as the New Orleans Saints defensive line coach, assistant head coach, and co-defensive coordinator.
Ryan Nielsen comes to Jacksonville to work with a defense that collapsed miserably in the second half of the season. AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
Nielsen replaces Mike Caldwellfired by the head coach Doug Pederson one day after the end of the 2023 season.
The defense of the Falcons improved markedly from 2022 in the only season of Nielsen in the position, finishing within the Top-10 from NFL by air, third down and red zone. Atlanta It was third in third-down defense (33.8 percent) and fourth in the red zone (45.3 percent).
Los Falcons They also doubled their catch total under Nielsen, going from 21 in 2022 to 42 in the recently concluded campaign. Additionally, Atlanta played the highest percentage of personal coverage in the NFL in 2023 (63.8 percent), according to data from ESPN Stats & Information.
Editorial Selections
Nielsen became available after the owner of the Falcons, Arthur Blankfired the head coach Arthur Smith on January 8th. Nielsen He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant for USC in 2002 and had stays with five more universities before joining the Saints as defensive line coach in 2017. Nielsen He was co-defensive coordinator in Central Connecticut State (2008-09) and co-defensive coordinator in Northern Illinois (2012).
Pederson hired Caldwell in 2022 as a first-year coordinator after spending the previous three seasons under Todd Bowles as inside linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Los Jaguars They did show improvement after 2021 in some areas in the first campaign of Caldwellbut that did not continue in 2023, and the defense played a significant role in the club’s collapse after an 8-3 start.
Los Jaguars They lost five of their final six games and gave up an average of 29.2 points and 146.8 rushing yards per game in those five losses. The only victory was a 26-0 shutout of the Carolina Pantherswhich ended with the worst record of the NFL.
2024-01-22 23:37:55
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