JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The signing of defensive tackle Malik Jackson to an $86.1 million contract was the biggest and boldest move the Jacksonville Jaguars made in the offseason to help improve their defense.
Drafting cornerback Jalen Ramsey fifth overall was significant, too.
But signing free safety Tashaun Gipson was the most important move the Jaguars made in the past six months. For the first time in coach Gus Bradley’s tenure, he finally has a free safety capable of playing the position the way it’s designed, and that changes the dynamic of the entire defense.
"The play he made [last week] in the middle of the field, we haven’t had that play since we’ve been here," said defensive coordinator Todd Wash, speaking about an interception Gipson made during a recent OTA in which he came across the field to make the play. "His ball instincts, his break on the ball ... he understands the zone concepts and we’re very excited about him at free safety. Extremely excited."
The free safety in Bradley’s defense needs to be athletic enough to cover the width of the entire field because the strong safety is used closer to the line of scrimmage as essentially a safety/linebacker hybrid. Gipson thrived as a single-high safety with the Cleveland Browns, where he made the Pro Bowl in 2014 after intercepting six passes and broke up eight other passes.
That’s why the Jaguars gave him a five-year, $36 million contract.
"My job is to make them say, ‘Hey, we underpaid this guy.’ That’s what I want to do," Gipson said. "I definitely want to go out there and exceed expectations."
Those are already pretty high, especially when it comes to forcing turnovers. The Jaguars have just 26 interceptions over the last three seasons, which ranks last in the NFL. Josh Evans, who has started 36 games over the past three seasons mainly at free safety, doesn’t have one. Neither did Sergio Brown, whom the Jaguars brought in last season to be the starter there. He eventually lost the job to Evans and was cut in April.
Gipson intercepted 13 passes in the last three seasons with the Browns.
"I think the main thing for me was to get the defense," Gipson said. "It wasn’t a skill set or a talent thing. It was getting the defense and being comfortable in the role that they wanted to play. I’ve been grasping that and have been doing a great job so far understanding it mentally, which allows me to go out there and play fast.
"I think they let me go back there in the middle of the field and play football. That’s one of the things that I pride myself on, being able to help me be able to do what I want to do back there. I feel like I’m the best back there. They’ve been allowing me to do that but also play within the scheme."
Though the Jaguars are only in helmets during OTAs, secondary coach Dwayne Walker said he’s seen a significant difference in the defense from the last several years because of Gipson’s presence.
"I’m sure it’s evident for you, isn’t it?" Walker said. "And I’m not being sarcastic. Just his explosiveness and ball skills and his savvy, so he definitely brings a different element for us."
