Tag: Malcom Brown

Jaguars DT DaVon Hamilton discuses the team’s veteran leadership

Hamilton said that the addition of players like Malcom Brown has made a big difference.

It’s no secret that Jacksonville’s front seven has a lot of work to do after last season. The unit was a sieve against the run last season, finishing third from last in the league in rushing yards allowed. But at the same time, there’s reason for optimism.

One of those reasons is the play of defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton as a rookie. The third-round pick was a key rotational player, notching 30 tackles and a fumble recovery, as well as his first career sack against Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers.

Hamilton is expected to play a major role in the defensive line rotation again in 2021, but this time, he’ll have some more help around him. The team added several veteran interior defensive linemen, including Roy Robertson-Harris and Malcom Brown, the latter being acquired from New Orleans in a trade.

Both saw starting action with the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints, respectively, last season, and Hamilton mentioned Brown specifically as being an impactful addition to the unit.

“He definitely brings something to the defensive group, he’s definitely a leader for our defense,” Hamilton said. “And for me, he’s just another vet in the room that’s able to help me out, critique some things that I normally wouldn’t see and ultimately make me better.”

The Jaguars should be happy to see Hamilton taking advantage of the opportunity to learn. After all, they could very well be relying on him to start in the years to come. And it seems he’s not just learning from the veterans on his side of the ball.

Hamilton also mentioned that he’s learning from center Brandon Linder, one of the top players at his position in the NFL and the guy who lines up directly across from him.

“I love going against Linder because he’s a good vet,” Hamilton said. “He’s also one of the best centers in the league, and I can’t ask any more from him. I mean, he’s just giving me advice, helping me get better every day and I mean, I can’t beat it.”

Jacksonville’s defense may be a limiting factor once again, but it seems that players like Hamilton are benefitting from the new talent in the locker room. The Jaguars can only hope it leads to a big Year 2 from him.

Podcast: Defensive stories to watch during Jags training camp

The Jags will be learning a new scheme come training camp an it will be interesting to see what players fit right in.

While mandatory mini-camp has yet to arrive for the Jacksonville Jaguars, many fans are anticipating training camp heavily. The reason for that is because it’s shaping up to be the most exciting one in recent history.

Of course, the main attraction will be No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence, but there will also be some interesting things to watch on defense, too. In Episode 74 of “Bleav in the Jags” Jags Wire’s James Johnson and Phil Smith listed off some of these potential storylines for the defense.

These storylines included analysis on how Shaq Griffin will fit into the scheme, how the Jags will attack the quarterback, the competition on the defensive line, and more. The pair also discussed the Tennessee Titans’ acquisition of Julio Jones, too, as the Jags will have to deal with him twice a year now.

The full episode can be heard below in the media player, while archived episodes can be revisited here.

Feel free to subscribe to “Bleav in the Jags” via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.

Jaguars DL among the worst in NFL, PFF says

Pro Football Focus isn’t very high on the Jacksonville defensive line in 2021 despite the potential for Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson.

It’s no secret that Jacksonville’s defensive line was an especially glaring weakness on a team that finished 1-15 last season. The Jags finished just 30th in run defense and 31st in total sacks, essentially indicating it was exceptionally poor in every facet of the game.

This offseason, the team added a handful of new pieces, including free agents Roy Robertson-Harris and Jihad Ward, as well as Malcom Brown, who was acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Saints. However, none of those players are expected to be transformative, and if the unit is going to take a big leap forward, it will be because of the new system.

Under previous defensive coordinator Todd Wash, the team ran a 4-3 defense that resulted in both edge rushers in Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson playing outside of their natural position. New defensive coordinator Joe Cullen’s system will allow for them to play as edge-rushing, standup outside linebackers, and both thrived in that spot in college.

Schematics could make a big difference on the field this year, but Pro Football Focus isn’t convinced. In its ranking of the NFL’s defensive line units, Jacksonville ranks just 30th, ahead of only the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans.

Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson have the tools to develop into a dynamic edge-rushing duo, but 2021 may still be a year too early for that to take hold. Allen has already proven to be an effective pass rusher across the first two years of his career, earning pass-rushing grades between 70.0 and 75.0 in both 2019 and 2020. Chaisson came on stronger down the stretch last season but recorded just a 9.2% pressure rate overall. With work still left to do for those two and little to get excited about on the interior, this should be one of the lower-graded units in the league again next season.

As previously mentioned, the success of this unit will largely boil down to the strides Allen and Chaisson take. But PFF is right that the interior defensive line remains a weakness, and its improvement will hinge on notables like Robertson-Harris, Brown, DaVon Hamilton, and Doug Costin.

The Jags attempted to mitigate this for the future by using a third-round pick on USC nose tackle Jay Tufele, and though he will likely factor into the rotation this year, his impact could be limited unless he has a very impressive camp.

Ultimately, this is a unit that has some potential. But it also has a lot of development left to do, and even if Allen and Chaisson exceed all expectations, this group may still not rank in the upper half of the league.

Jags DL coach Tosh Lupoi discusses additions of Malcom Brown, Roy Robertson-Harris

The Jaguars defensive line coach addressed some of the new additions at his position group and spoke of the importance of versatility.

After sporting one of the worst defenses in football last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars entered this offseason knowing it needed to make a number of adjustments. That started with the front seven, which was a weakness on an already weak side of the ball. The team has already made several significant changes, such as acquiring a starting-caliber defensive tackle in Malcom Brown from the New Orleans Saints for the price of just a seventh-round pick.

Jaguars defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi, who was hired from the Atlanta Falcons by new coach Urban Meyer, said that the leadership and physicality Brown brings to the table excites the coaching staff.

“He’s a steady, road-grading, physical interior D lineman,” Lupoi said. “He uses his hands well and plays with a great base. He attacks. He strikes. He finishes at various positions as an interior player – a zero, a shade, a three-technique. Love the fact that he brings us some leadership qualities. I think we can’t value that enough – the fact that he has won two Super Bowls [with the New England Patriots] and he’s accomplished some things that we all want to do. I don’t think that can never be overvalued.”

The other major addition for Jacksonville’s defensive line was Roy Robertson-Harris, a lengthy and athletic defensive end with decent production for Chicago over the last four years. Lupoi said that at 6-foot-5, his combination of size and power is what intrigues the coaching staff the most.

“Roy has just tremendous potential … the length, the ability to bend, flexibility,” Lupoi said. “You see flashes where he can generate power – being a tall, long individual yet displaying that power. He has some flashes that just absolutely fire you up and excite you and you know they’re there. I’m really excited to go attack the process with him, and I think he has the potential to have an absolute big-time future.”

Adding a player like Robertson-Harris gives the Jaguars a lot of versatility in their defensive line rotations, something that Lupoi said is crucial. He said that teams especially learned this past season how necessary versatility can be, as COVID-19 resulted in coaches having to move guys around to different spots.

“It certainly increases your value as an individual,” he said. “It increases your value as a defensive line when you have a versatile group. You can absolutely be effective when you do have individuals that can master their roles, but especially in a time and age right now with the presence of COVID[-19] you know it really increases the value of an individual if he can play multiple positions and has proven to do so. We all experienced in the National Football League last year where it might be midweek where COVID happens and because of the tracer response, you might be down three players. That’s while coaching on a video screen how to play the game of football. When that hits, I think it’s extremely important when you do have a guy with versatility that can play multiple positions and have the faith that he can get specific jobs done at different places.”

Though Jacksonville’s defense has a long way to go if it wants to avoid the bottom half of the NFL once again, additions like Brown and Robertson-Harris should give the team a lot more depth where it was lacking in 2020.

Malcom Brown was ‘running around the house’ when he got word of his trade to Jags

Malcom Brown said that when he found out he was coming to Jacksonville, he was “running around the house.”

For many players, getting traded is (understandably) a frustrating and stressful experience. But for new Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Malcom Brown, who the team acquired from New Orleans in exchange for a seventh-round pick, that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

This week, Brown told the media he knew his time with the New Orleans Saints, who had to clear nearly $100 million in cap space this offseason, was running short. When he found out he was coming to an up-and-coming team like Jacksonville with an exciting new regime, he was thrilled.

“…I was ecstatic,” Brown said last week. “I heard what coaches were here and what direction they were going in and like I said, I was happy. I already knew the situation I was in over in New Orleans, I already knew they had to get under cap space, I already knew it was over. So, I mean, just doing that, keeping that mind. I just wanted to attack the offseason, wherever I’m going to be, I’ll be the best version of me. Like I said, when the trade happened, I was on the phone, I was happy, I was running around the house. It doesn’t matter where the program was last year, it’s about what we do next year.”

Considering all it took to bring Brown into the building was a seventh-round pick, the trade was a bit of a steal. He’s still got a lot left in the tank at just 27, and he’s been a consistent starter throughout his career, both with the New England Patriots and Saints. He’s started 80 of the 89 games he’s appeared in since being the final pick of the first round back in 2013.

Brown is coming off a season in which he started all 13 games he played. He missed some time in November with injuries, and that resulted in a career-low in tackles with 27, though he did manage a sack on the year.

Now, he joins a Jaguars defensive front that desperately needed help on the interior last season. He will be a major part of the rotation in 2021, if not a starter.

Though the excitement surrounding coach Urban Meyer and probable incoming quarterback Trevor Lawrence certainly had an affect on Brown, there’s another layer that makes this marriage all the more exciting for him.

Brown’s college head coach, Charlie Strong, was hired this offseason as the Jaguars assistant head coach and inside linebacker coach. Strong was the defensive coordinator at Florida when the school hired Meyer in 2005, and he chose to retain the experienced assistant, who remained on staff until he took the Louisville head coaching job in 2009. Brown said a reunion with Strong was one of the things that excited him most about coming to Jacksonville.

“I know how (Strong) coaches and what he’s about,” Brown said. “It’s just this energy level that he brings. It just brought back flashbacks of college and how we were, and I got very excited once I heard that and just to see him again.”

It’s not often a successful player is this optimistic about being traded, but it goes to show both the reputation Meyer has in the football world and the belief that players in the league have in this young roster.

Jaguars send Saints 2021 seventh-round pick for Malcom Brown

The former Saints defensive tackle is coming to Jacksonville for a seventh-round pick, according to a report.

The terms of Jacksonville’s trade involving Saints defensive tackle Malcom Brown have now been released. According to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, the Jaguars are sending a seventh-round pick for the 27-year-old.

The news of the compensation for Brown’s trade was confirmed by Brett Martel and Mark Long of the Associated Press on Wednesday. However, it’s unclear which of the Jaguars’ two seventh-round picks was part of the trade. The team picks at No. 229 and No. 250.

This trade makes sense for both sides. Jacksonville needed depth on the interior defensive line and had lots of draft capital, while the Saints were likely to release Brown anyway and now at least recoup some value for him.

Brown spent the last two seasons in New Orleans after spending the first four of his career with the New England Patriots, who drafted him 32nd in 2015. His most productive seasons came with them, and his play has slowly declined since then. With the Saints in 2020, he made 26 tackles (the least of his career) with one sack in 13 appearances.

Brown’s addition gives the Jags a nose tackle to rotate with rookie DaVon Hamilton. It also gives Hamilton a proven veteran who is a solid run stuffer to learn from.

Saints receive 2021 seventh round draft pick in Malcom Brown trade

The New Orleans Saints traded starting defensive tackle Malcom Brown to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a 2021 NFL draft pick.

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NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that the Saints will receive a seventh round pick in the 2021 NFL draft after trading nose tackle Malcom Brown to the Jacksonville Jaguars, which was confirmed by Brett Martel and Mark Long of the Associated Press. It’s not immediately clear which seventh rounder the Jaguars are giving up: they own two, per Tankathon.com, at slot Nos. 229 (the first pick of round seven) and 250 (via trade with the Arizona Cardinals). We’ll assume the latter.

Still, that’s a nice return for New Orleans considering the Saints planned to cut Brown anyway. Getting something rather than nothing is always good to see. His departure does create a hole to fill in the middle of their defensive line, even with a couple of young players waiting for their opportunity in Shy Tuttle and Malcolm Roach.

For the curious, the last five players drafted by the Saints in the seventh round were quarterback Tommy Stevens, tight end Alize Mack, linebacker Kaden Elliss, offensive lineman Will Clapp, and running back Daniel Lasco. Elliss is the only player currently under contract, while Clapp is a restricted free agent.

And here’s the updated list of Saints draft picks in 2021. The NFL has not released an official full draft order yet, so this is a projection that could change slightly:

  • Round 1, Pick 28
  • Round 2, Pick 60
  • Round 3, Pick 99 (compensatory)
  • Round 3, Pick 106 (compensatory)
  • Round 4, Pick 134
  • Round 6, Pick 218 (compensatory)
  • Round 7, pick TBD (Jaguars trade)

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Jaguars continue to bolster DL by trading for DT Malcom Brown

Urban Meyer stressed the importance of defensive line play last week and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ moves so far in free agency are proof they want to make significant strides in the defensive trenches. In the first two days of the tampering period, …

Urban Meyer stressed the importance of defensive line play last week and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ moves so far in free agency are proof they want to make significant strides in the defensive trenches. In the first two days of the tampering period, they re-signed Dawuane Smoot and added Tyson Alualu, Jihad Ward, and Roy Roberts-Harris as newcomers. However, even with four new veterans, the team didn’t want to stop there.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Jags will also be trading an undisclosed pick for New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Malcom Brown. With the team planning to release the veteran, the Jags decided to prance on the opportunity to acquire him and reunite him with his former college coach Charlie Strong.

Brown, 27, was a former first round pick for the New England Patriots out of Texas. After spending four seasons with them, he signed with the Saints in 2019 where he started in 29 games.

The massive 6-foot-2, 320-pounder will enter his Jags tenure with 80 career starts, 247 total tackles, and 12.5 sacks. During the 2020 season, he was also able to register a 72.9 overall grade on Pro Football Focus. He flourished in particular against the run with a 77.1 rush defense grade.

With the Jags finishing 30th against the rush last season, this move makes perfect sense. Just like the other aforementioned linemen, he’ll bring plenty of experience into the mix with all of the starts he’s registered and two Super Bowl titles he’s won. That could especially be huge for second-year players DaVon Hamilton and Doug Costin, who were a nice rookie duo in 2020, but needed a veteran around in the rotation.

Saints trade starting DT Malcom Brown to the Jaguars

The New Orleans Saints agreed to trade starting nose tackle Malcom Brown to the Jacksonville Jaguars, saving salary cap space.

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The expectation was that the New Orleans Saints would release veteran nose tackle Malcom Brown as a salary cap casualty, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that the team cut a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to trade him instead.

Brown was a part of some stout Saints defenses upon signing with the team back in 2019, anchoring a run defense that ranked among the best in the league. The depressed salary cap made his contract untenable, though, and now he’s on the move while freeing up nearly $5 million in cap space.

Replacing him won’t be easy, though young backups Shy Tuttle and Malcolm Roach will be eager for the opportunity to start next to David Onyemata in the heart of the Saints defense. Details of the trade weren’t immediately available, so check back once they’re reported.

Report: Saints expected to release DT Malcom Brown

The New Orleans Saints expect to free up about $5 million in cap space by releasing nose tackle Malcom Brown in a salary cap-minded move.

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NFL insider Josina Anderson reported Friday that the New Orleans Saints intend to terminate their contract with starting nose tackle Malcom Brown, saving nearly $5 million against the salary cap. This wasn’t entirely unexpected; Brown’s name popped up in trade talks recently, but between teams over-valuing their draft picks and under-valuing good run defenders like Brown, it was probably difficult for the Saints to cut a deal.

Still, it’s a tougher loss than it appears on the surface. Brown was a force in the middle of the Saints defensive line, and the unit noticeably stepped back when he wasn’t available against the Philadelphia Eagles (snapping their 55-game streak of games played without allowing a 100-yard rusher). It won’t be easy to replace him, and the problem is compounded if veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins leaves in free agency.

That’s not to say the Saints don’t have options. David Onyemata has developed into one of the sport’s better interior defenders. Young backups Shy Tuttle and Malcolm Roach have earned more minutes. But moving on from both Brown and Rankins in the same offseason creates a void of experience that no one on the roster is positioned well to replace.

Brown initially signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Saints as a New England Patriots free agent back in 2019. He appeared in 29 regular season games and 3 playoff games, all starts. Just 27 years old, it shouldn’t take long for him to land on his feet.

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