If the 2026 Jacksonville Jaguars protection is about to make the soar into changing into a high pass-rushing unit, defensive deal with Arik Armstead might be Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile’s most necessary chess piece on the board.
Sep 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive deal with Arik Armstead (91) towards the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Photos Morgan Tencza-Imagn Photos
Set to return primarily at inside defensive deal with in 2026, following a 2024 marketing campaign during which he performed as a defensive finish, 2025 Arik Armstead shortly confirmed flashes of his former self, racking up 48 pressures. Regardless of sliding inside, the place defensive linemen sometimes generate fewer pressures than edge rushers, Armstead improved on his 36-pressure output from 2024 whereas doing so in a single fewer recreation performed. The 2024 Walter Payton Man of The Yr additionally elevated his sack output from two in 2024 to five.5 in 2025, the third-best single-season whole of his profession and his greatest mark since 2021.
Nevertheless, a lot of that manufacturing, together with all 5 of his sacks, got here earlier than a Week 12 hand harm suffered in late November. After averaging 73.8 % of the crew’s defensive snaps in Weeks 9 via 12, and amassing two sacks throughout that stretch, Armstead missed Week 13 earlier than seeing his snap charge drop to a mean of 38.4 % over the ultimate 5 regular-season video games.
Some context that usually will get misplaced in recapping Jacksonville’s 2025 season is that, previous to his week 12 harm, Armstead was tied for first within the NFL of all inside defensive lineman with solely Tennessee Titans defensive deal with Jeffrey Simmons at 5 and a half sacks, whereas additionally tied for sixth in quarterback pressures for all inside defensive linemen. In different phrases, when wholesome, Armstead was, in each sense of the phrase, dominant.
The veteran spoke candidly with Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Instances-Union about managing the harm late within the season: “I was playing with one hand for six games… Couldn’t play as many snaps because it was hard to play the run with just one hand, so I was limited to pass-rush situations. As I got more comfortable with the cast, I was able to be somewhat effective, but couldn’t grab the blocker and couldn’t do certain moves.”
Don’t Name It a Comeback
With that context supplied, and regardless of these limitations current, Armstead’s 81.8 PFF grade within the Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Payments suggests he was approaching being again to full effectiveness in the direction of the top of the 12 months, whereas being managed late. In 66 % of defensive snaps towards Buffalo, he totaled one quarterback stress, two defensive stops, and 4 whole tackles, a promising signal for what a completely wholesome 2026 might appear to be. His 85.2 PFF run-defense grade led all Wildcard Spherical defensive linemen. With an entire offseason of coaching and rehabilitation behind him and no harm limitations heading into camp, Armstead seems primed for an excellent greater bounce-back season than Duval followers could also be anticipating.
Professional Soccer Focus Grading Scale
90.0+: Elite80.0–89.9: Excessive quality70.0–79.9: Good60.0–69.9: Above average50.0–59.9: Average40.0–49.9: Beneath average39.9 or under: PoorArik ArmsteadPFF RatingSacksQB Pressures202312 video games at DT81.95582024 17 video games at DE68.7236202516 video games at DT60.3 (56th)5.5 (seventeenth)48(thirteenth)
If Armstead can replicate his pre-injury 2025 and Wildcard performances throughout a full 17-game season, this Jacksonville protection might grow to be a real downside for the remainder of the AFC. That stated, sustaining that degree of well being and availability is a significant “if” for a participant with Armstead’s harm historical past.
Since 2021, he has appeared in each regular-season recreation simply as soon as, through the 2024 season, when he was deployed primarily as a defensive finish, seeing much less double groups and play by play collisions than on the inside. In his three seasons lining up primarily at defensive deal with, his recreation log displays totals of 9, 12, and 16 appearances, respectively. In 2026, the 32-year-old will look to defy Father Time by taking part in in all 17-regular season video games and surpassing his 5.5-sack output from final season.
For essentially the most half, Jacksonville averted bringing in vital competitors for Armstead’s three-technique defensive deal with position this offseason. With no main free agent acquisitions or notable trades focusing on the place immediately, Armstead will as soon as once more function the first inside go rusher for this Jaguars protection, the identical duty he shouldered all through 2025. With the crew doubtlessly in a position to save $14-million in cap house, heading into this previous draft and free company cycle, inaction on that contract speaks a lot louder than another roster strikes made.
Notably, the Jaguars primarily sought to strengthen the depth round Armstead, buying and selling Maason Smith to Atlanta Falcons to amass Ruke Orhorhoro, whereas including Albert Regis with a third-round choice within the 2026 NFL Draft. Each strikes appear aimed toward shoring up the inside line of defense room fairly than immediately difficult Armstead’s beginning position, a quiet vote of confidence for 2026.
What are your sack projections for Arik Armstead for the 2026 season, BigCatCountry? Any ideas on the choice not to usher in a high draft prospect or free agent acquisition for competitors? Tell us within the feedback!
