Category: Joe Cullen

Chiefs add former Jags DC Joe Cullen as a DL coach

Joe Cullen has found a new home with the Chiefs.

Earlier this week it was announced that the Jacksonville Jaguars would be letting defensive coordinator Joe Cullen go, and as expected, it didn’t take long for him to find a new team.

That team will be the Kansas City Chiefs, who are fresh off a run where they found themselves in the AFC Championship this past season. He’ll be replacing Brendan Daly, who is now set to become the Chiefs’ linebackers coach.

Cullen, who the Jags hired almost a full year ago, was named a first-year defensive coordinator under former coach Urban Meyer. In the process of the 2021 season, he helped the Jags make notable progress, and though the defensive unit wasn’t elite, they made strides and ranked 20th overall and 23rd against the rush.

Jags team captain Josh Allen was one of the leaders on the team who was on record for saying he wanted to see Cullen back, as did a few others. However, with new head coach Doug Pederson being hired, the Jags seemingly felt good about the candidates he had in mind to replace Cullen.

Cullen has been a hot name this offseason and took a pair of interviews to be a coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens, which is the team he was with before last season, and Indianapolis Colts. Baltimore’s defensive coordinator job ultimately went to former Michigan defensive coordinator Mike McDonald, while the Colts are set to hire former Jags coach Gus Bradley for their vacant role.

Cullen will join a Chiefs team that has notables like Chris Jones and Frank Clark among notables on their defensive line. That said, he should have little issues being successful and could be up for a defensive coordinator role again in no time.

Poll: Should the Jaguars have retained DC Joe Cullen?

Despite a solid first season as the team’s defensive coordinator, Cullen will be heading elsewhere in 2022. Do you think that was the right call, Jags fans?

Much of Urban Meyer’s coaching staff remains under contract (for now), but the team has already made one major change to the makeup of the staff. According to a report from ESPN NFL insider Field Yates, the Jaguars have parted ways with first-year defensive coordinator Joe Cullen.

Meyer’s decision to hire Cullen was a bit confusing at the time. Previously the defensive line coach for the Baltimore Ravens, Cullen had no defensive play-calling experience when he took the job, and for a first-time NFL head coach in Meyer, it was hard to see the logic of that decision.

But with that being said, Cullen seemed to be doing a pretty good job. He inherited one of the worst defenses in the NFL, and though it was rough to start the 2021 season, it improved markedly throughout the year. Even forced to start second-round rookie Tyson Campbell at corner after trading C.J. Henderson, the unit continued to improve.

It finished 20th in the league and was much better against the run than it was in 2020. There was a clear vision of what Cullen was building, and that’s why some thought he could survive the coaching change and remain on the staff of the new head coach.

Though that doesn’t seem to be the case, Cullen’s tenure with the Jags attracted some attention around the league. He interviewed for the defensive coordinator position with his former team in Baltimore, but that job ultimately went to Michigan defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. He has also interviewed for the open Colts defensive coordinator job after Matt Eberflus left for Chicago, and he appears to still be a candidate there.

Cullen likely hasn’t seen his last stint as an NFL defensive coordinator and based on the way the Jags’ unit, which is still lacking talent, played in 2021, it seemed like he could have been building something good.

We’ll never know how keeping Cullen would have panned out, but we want to know what the fans think. Should the Jags have kept Cullen, or should the team clean house as far as staff goes? Or should the organization have waited until there was a head coach in place to make that call? Let us know in the poll below.

[polldaddy poll=11036554]

Report: Joe Cullen to interview for Colts defensive coordinator job

The interest in Jags defensive coordinator Joe Cullen continues.

The Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching position is up in the air right now, but that hasn’t stopped defensive coordinator Joe Cullen from finding a new team to join. Earlier this week, Cullen interviewed with his old team in the Baltimore Ravens for their defensive coordinator vacancy which is no longer available, and according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Cullen now has another interview set up.

That interview is with the Jags’ rivals in the Indianapolis Colts, who lost their coordinator, Matt Eberflus, to the Chicago Bears. As many are aware, Eberflus was named the Chicago Bears’ head coach this week, and it appears Indianapolis has reached out to a familiar face who faced them twice this season.

Cullen, who was officially named the Jags’ defensive coordinator on Feb. 11, was a first-year coordinator this past season though he brought 14 years (now 15) of NFL coaching experience to the table. He joined the Jags after a stop with the Ravens where he was the defensive line coach from 2016-20.

Cullen had another stint with the Jags previously under Jack Del Rio, as well as stints with the Tampa Bay Bucs, Detroit Lions, and Cleveland Browns. This past season with the Jags, he was able to help the defense take a step in the right direction from the previous regime and ultimately helped them to end the season 20th overall and 23rd against the rush.

Many Jags players like Josh Allen expressed that they wanted Cullen to return next season, so it appears he didn’t have issues getting the players by his side. That said, he shouldn’t have any issues getting DeForest Buckner and Co. to rally behind him, but time will tell if he ultimately gets the job.

Josh Allen lobbies for Joe Cullen to return as defensive coordinator

Allen said he wants Cullen to stick around so the defense can build on the system that was put in place in 2021.

Urban Meyer’s decision to hire Joe Cullen as defensive coordinator was certainly a bit of a questionable one. Cullen had no experience as a defensive play-caller, which made him a bit of a head-scratching choice for a coach that had no experience at the NFL level himself. However, the former Baltimore Ravens defensive line coach asserted himself as one of the most competent assistant coaches on the staff.

Despite still battling talent discrepancies, the Jaguars’ defense improved consistently throughout the season, especially rookie cornerback Tyson Campbell. Cullen got the most out of a unit that still needs to add more contributors, and for that reason, it’s been speculated that he could return under the new coach.

He has at least one supporter in the locker room in edge rusher Josh Allen, who said he wants to see Cullen retained by the new head coach.

“I would love to see [Defensive Coordinator] Coach [Joe] Cullen [come back],” he said. “I feel like [it’s] just another thing that I feel like would be best for us. I know we might get the new coach or whatever, but with Coach Cullen, I feel like it’s the consistency. We have the team and majority of the defense is under contract to come back another year. So, it’s like if we have the same group, we have the same plays, we know the same philosophy.”

Allen said that the unit’s improvement throughout the year was a result of building on the systems that Cullen put into place, and he feels like the group could be set to take a big leap forward in 2022 if kept within the same scheme. He said he’d like to see several other defensive assistants return as well.

“Now we had that year to work at it, especially with all the younger guys, we know all the work so now we can improve just how we can play the game and install what Joe Cullen has already taught us in this system,” Allen said. “I feel like we can take that next step in becoming a way better defense. We can become the defense that you saw yesterday [against Indianapolis] every week, so I would love to see Coach Cullen back, I would love to see [Outside Linebackers Coach] Zach Orr, I would love to see [Assistant Defensive Line Coach] Sterling Lucas back. I wish [Defensive Line Coach] Tosh [Lupoi] nothing but the best in his journey, but I would love to see those guys come back and see how far we can grow.”

Coordinator retentions aren’t exactly common during coach changes, but if the Jaguars decided to hire an offensive head coach (which comprises the majority of the candidate pool), it would be more likely that Cullen sticks around. If they choose to go with a defensive coordinator like Indianapolis’ Matt Eberflus, that coach may want to make their own defensive coordinator hire.

Cullen’s unit was far from great in 2021, but it showed steady signs of progress, which is more than can be said for the offensive unit that was more or less a disaster throughout the entire season. The Jags could do worse than to give him another year to build off of those improvements.

Joe Cullen praises Shaq Quarterman following LB Joe Schobert trade

It sounds like the Jags’ staff like what they’ve seen out of Jacksonville native, Shaq Quarterman, in training camp. He may even be a name to watch for a starting role.

Jacksonville made a potentially risky decision during the preseason when it traded projected starting middle linebacker Joe Schobert to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a sixth-round pick. The return for a starting-caliber player wasn’t great, but it allowed the Jaguars to ditch a pricey deal on a player that the coaching staff didn’t think was a great fit in the defensive scheme.

Without him, Jacksonville will largely turn to Damien Wilson, a free-agent acquisition who started for Kansas City last season, and Shaq Quarterman, a second-year player who appeared in 12 games last season but had a limited impact, totaling only six tackles.

Defensive coordinator Joe Cullen had positive things to say about the play of both in the preseason opener against Cleveland.

“Well, we have got Damien [Wilson] who’s been a two-year starter with Kansas City at MIKE linebacker,” Cullen said. “And then we drafted Shaq [Shaquille Quarterman] a year ago and there wasn’t much tape to evaluate him other than college, he didn’t play much. But the thing that we saw from him and the thing that we some from those young linebackers is speed, downhill thump in terms of knocking the run out. Damien, that’s his strength. And you know, obviously, it was a decision, we moved forward and [we wish] the best for both the organization and Joe, he’s going to Pittsburgh. So, I think when you saw 50 the other night, [Shaquille Quarterman], he was flying around hitting people.”

Quarterman’s impact was indeed noticeable against the Browns, as he finished tied for second on the team in tackles with four. It has been expected that Damien Wilson, who is considered a better fit than Schobert in Cullen’s defense given his run-stopping ability, would win the starting job, but Quarterman may not go away quietly.

Cullen even said his previous team, Baltimore, considered selecting him in the 2020 class.

“Well, we looked at [Quarterman] when we were in Baltimore and we liked him in Baltimore and [we] just like his plus-two mentality, his physicality, and he’s got one speed and that’s a plus-two, 100 miles an hour,” Cullen said.

The battle for the starting inside linebacker job next to Myles Jack will likely continue on throughout the preseason and possibly into the regular season, but it seems the Jacksonville staff is pleased with the talent at the position even after trading away a projected starter.

Watch: Jags Day 14 training camp press conferences

While the Jags lost their first preseason game, Urban Meyer says he saw many positives to take from it.

After having their first preseason game Saturday, then having Sunday off, the Jacksonville Jaguars returned to the practice field Monday for one more session before the first wave of cuts. It was an interesting day as Urban Meyer met with the media before practice to give his assessment of what went down Saturday as the Jags fell to the Cleveland Browns by a score of 23-13.

While it was far from a perfect game, Meyer tried to focus on the positives, which there were a lot of. At the same time, he didn’t tip his hand much when speaking about the next preseason game against the New Orleans Saints.

Meyer wasn’t the only coach to talk to the media about Saturday’s game, as defensive coordinator Joe Cullen had a chat with them after practice, too. The media also got to speak with one of the more vibrant personalities in the locker room in Jihad Ward, who came from Baltimore with Cullen this offseason.

Here are all three pressers from Monday’s practice:

5 defensive players to watch in Jags’ preseason opener vs. Browns

Joe Cullen has returned to Jacksonville, but this time as a defensive coordinator. Here are some names to watch from his unit in the Jags’ first preseason game.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will take the field against the Cleveland Browns for their first preseason game Saturday, and the anticipation is very high despite it not truly counting towards the team’s record. The reason for that is because a new regime is in place, and many changes were made earlier in the year.

Upon naming his staff, new Jags coach Urban Meyer brought in a new defensive coordinator in Joe Cullen, who fans knew from the Jack Del Rio era. They also added several defensive pieces in the draft and free agency to bolster a unit that was one of the worst in 2020, and simply put, Saturday’s game will give many fans a small preview of the unit’s direction.

5 offensive players to watch in Jags’ preseason opener vs. Browns

Here are five players who we will have our eyes on in the process, as the defense begins its improvement journey:

Poll: Could Jacksonville double its sack total in 2021?

After finishing 31st in the league with just 18 sacks in 2020, it’s feasible that the Jags could double that total to 36 in 2021.

The Jacksonville Jaguars couldn’t get much pressure at all against opposing quarterbacks last season. In 16 games, they managed just 18 sacks. Only one team, the Cincinnati Bengals, was worse, and 16 teams more than doubled that total. That means that, if Jacksonville were to increase that total from 18 to 36 in 2021, that would still have just been about average relative to the rest of the league last year.

Is it feasible to expect the Jags to do this? New defensive coordinator Joe Cullen seems to think so. On Tuesday, he told the media that he has faith in the team doubling its total this season.

“I absolutely do [think it is],” Cullen said. “I absolutely feel like we could. Part of that is playing with leads, part of that is that you get out in front of people, but yeah, I absolutely do. I think we had 18 or 19 last year, but for the people that we have and the guys that we have, the depth that we have, yes, I believe that’s a realistic goal.”

The Jaguars certainly added more pieces this offseason. Former first-round pick Josh Allen had a down year in 2020, finishing with only 2.5 sacks, matching last year’s free-agent acquisition Joe Schobert. Dawuane Smoot led the way with 5.5, and no other player on the team totaled more than one.

Roy Robertson-Harris is the most high-profile of those additions, and his 2.5 sacks last season would have been tied for second-best on the team. Fellow new signee Jihad Ward totaled three last year, while Malcom Brown, who was acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Saints, had one.

We’ve already written about the likelihood of a bounce-back season for Allen, and it seems fair to expect that he’ll be closer to the 10.5 sacks he reached as a rookie. Expectations are also high for K’Lavon Chaisson, who was a bit disappointing as a rookie but will now be playing his more natural position.

“… We have a really good group of defensive linemen that were here, K’Lavon [Chaisson], Josh [Allen] had 10.5 sacks [in 2019],” Cullen said. “Then the free agent acquisitions we were able to bring in, Roy Robertson Harris, Jihad Ward, those guys have gotten after the quarterback in this league. I’m excited to work with Taven [Bryan], bringing Malcom Brown here.

“We have a good group and the two young guys that we brought in via the draft. We’re excited and I’ll tell you it’s going to come from a lot of different area. It’s going to come from the pressure that we bring in terms of blitzes, it’s going to come from a four-man rush, and really, it’s going to come from a collective unit defensively, our rush work, but also our coverage being able to make the quarterback hold the ball. It’s going to go hand in hand but I’m excited and really, we’ll find out in the fall.”

Coming off a season that netted the fewest sacks for the franchise since 2009, when it managed just 14, there’s really nowhere to go but up. Considering the fact that the top-10 teams in terms of sacks last year each finished with more than 40, it’s not unreasonable that Jacksonville could reach 36.

But it won’t be easy, and the veteran additions, as well as rookies Jay Tufele and Jordan Smith, will need to step up if the team is going to reach it. Let us know in the poll down below if you think Jacksonville will total at least 36 sacks in 2021.

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DC Joe Cullen believes Jags defense is equipped to double sack total from 2020

Joe Cullen expects the Jags’ defense to make great strides in 2021 after as season where they didn’t even register 20 sacks.

One of the elements to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ roster that fans knew needed to change was the defense. That’s exactly why many of them were excited to see first-year defensive coordinator Joe Cullen return to Jacksonville after last spending time with the Baltimore Ravens.

Like the Jags’ new lead man Urban Meyer, Cullen has high expectations out of the gate for the Jaguars’ defense, despite the team coming off a one-win season. On Tuesday, he told the media that he likes his current group’s chances to be significantly better than the unit from 2020, especially after a productive offseason of mixing in new personnel.

“… We have a really good group of defensive linemen that were here, K’Lavon [Chaisson], Josh [Allen] had 10.5 sacks [in 2019],” Cullen said. “Then the free agent acquisitions we were able to bring in, Roy Robertson Harris, Jihad Ward, those guys have gotten after the quarterback in this league. I’m excited to work with Taven [Bryan], bringing Malcom Brown here.

“We have a good group and the two young guys that we brought in via the draft. We’re excited and I’ll tell you it’s going to come from a lot of different area. It’s going to come from the pressure that we bring in terms of blitzes, it’s going to come from a four-man rush, and really, it’s going to come from a collective unit defensively, our rush work, but also our coverage being able to make the quarterback hold the ball. It’s going to go hand in hand but I’m excited and really, we’ll find out in the fall.”

A key to turning it all around on defense will be getting to the quarterback. Last season they didn’t do that well, totaling just 18 sacks (the NFL’s second-lowest total) on the entire season. Clearly, that number will need to be a significantly better figure and Cullen believes the Jags’ personnel can double it in 2021.

“I absolutely do [think it is],” Cullen said when asked if doubling the team’s sack figures was possible. “I absolutely feel like we could. Part of that is playing with leads, part of that is that you get out in front of people, but yeah, I absolutely do. I think we had 18 or 19 last year, but for the people that we have and the guys that we have, the depth that we have, yes, I believe that’s a realistic goal.”

While the Jags didn’t add any Pro Bowl-caliber players in the trenches this offseason, they certainly added experienced players who’ve had success and have been on successful defenses. When mixing that in with talents like Josh Allen, K’Lavon Chaisson, DaVon Hamilton, Doug Costin, and others who were already on the roster, there is a good chance the Jags can take a step forward defensively under Cullen’s tough mindset.

Josh Allen on Jags’ new defensive scheme: ‘I feel like we’re playing back to what got us here’

With the Jags implementing 3-4 looks on defense, Josh Allen can return to the position he played in college as an edge-rushing linebacker.

Jacksonville’s front seven needs to improve significantly in 2021. It was one of the worst units in the league last year, finishing 30th against the run and 31st in sacks. That fact isn’t lost on Josh Allen, the third-year edge rusher expected to develop into a leader of the group, alongside linebacker Myles Jack.

“Last year was last year,” Allen said on Tuesday after organized team activities. “We have a whole new different group, we have a whole new different scheme, we have a whole new different coaching staff that’s going to help us get to where we need. Game one, we’re going to get right and we’re going to apply a lot more pressure.

“We’re all going to get better for that, and I can’t wait.”

At the center of the expected improvement is the new system being implemented by defensive coordinator Joe Cullen. Previously, Jacksonville ran almost exclusively 4-3 packages, with Allen and 2020 first-round pick K’Lavon Chaisson largely playing with their hand in the dirt.

But now, the team will implement more 3-4 looks, allowing Allen and Chaisson to play as a standup, rushing outside linebackers. That’s the position both played in college, and it should be more natural than what they were previously asked to do.

Allen said the pair is excited to be back to playing the position that made them so productive at the college level.

“We’re playing what got us here, so going back to those habits, going back to those traits, I feel like it’s a good sign for both of us – [] Smoot as well,” Allen said. “I’m just excited to see us put pads on so we can really put that to use and make a lot of plays.

“We’re all making plays so as long as we all continue to do that, no matter who we have out there, we’ll be straight.”

Both Allen and Chaisson are looking for bounce-back seasons, as the former was limited to just eight games with injury and the latter failed to make much of an impact as a rookie. With the new scheme, expectations are high for both.