The Jacksonville Jaguars weren’t expected to do a whole lot by many in 2022 when the season began, but as the year wore on, they became one of the hottest teams in the NFL.
They won six of seven games and took the AFC South title with a 9-8 regular season record, then they overcame a 27-0 deficit in the Wild Card playoff game to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers.
Just ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, Jacksonville has made a key move by giving defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton a three-year contract extension to keep him in the fold.
Sources: The #Jaguars and DT DaVon Hamilton agreed to terms on a 3-year, $34.5M deal with $23M fully guaranteed plus incentives that bring the max compensation up to $36M. The former third rounder will make over $18.7M in the 1st year of the extension, coming off a career year. pic.twitter.com/1hwl0WiSXT
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 26, 2023
Hamilton became a full-time starter in 2022, his third season in the pros, and he had a solid year, posting 56 combined tackles (27 solo) plus six quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.
He was originally a third-round draft pick at No. 73 overall back in 2020.
The Jaguars have a bright future, but if they are to get to the next level, they have some work to do on the defensive side of the football.
They ranked just 19th in passing touchdowns allowed, 24th in total yards allowed, and 28th in passing yards given up last season.
However, their offense appears to be a rising force, with newly-minted Pro Bowler Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, two studs at wide receiver in Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, and a strong running back in Travis Etienne.
With the Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts yet to make any big moves, the AFC South could belong to Jacksonville once again next season.
NEXT: Jaguars GM Remains Optimistic About Tying Down Star TE
