National Football League

Jaguars reportedly close to hiring Falcons DC Ryan Nielsen to same position

Published Jan. 22, 2024 5:00 p.m. ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the verge of hiring Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen to the same position, a person familiar with the search told The Associated Press on Monday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because a deal had not been finalized. But it was expected to happen soon, with Nielsen getting tasked with revamping a unit that was one of the worst in the league late in the season.

The 44-year-old Nielsen would take over for Mike Caldwell, who was fired along with seven defensive assistants a day after the Jaguars (9-8) ended the season by losing five of six and missing the playoffs.

Jacksonville had issues on both sides of the ball, but coach Doug Pederson made Caldwell the scapegoat for the worst late-season collapse in franchise history. Pederson kept longtime friend and play-caller Press Taylor and much of the offensive staff intact.

Pederson pinned offensive struggles on injuries to quarterback Trevor Lawrence and receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones while placing more blame on the other side of the ball.

Caldwell’s unit allowed 29.2 points and 146.8 yards rushing in the team’s five losses down the stretch. The only win was a 26-0 drubbing of Carolina, which finished with the worst record in the league.

Nielsen has just one year of NFL experience as a sole DC. He was co-DC in New Orleans in 2022 and spent the previous five years as the Saints' defensive line coach.

Nielsen has also worked for more than a dozen years at the collegiate level, including stints at Ole Miss (2005-07) and North Carolina State (2013-16).

He had success in his lone season in Atlanta. The Falcons ranked third in the league in third-down defense, fourth in red-zone scoring, 11th in yards allowed and 18th in points — numbers that had been better until Atlanta ended the season by giving up 85 points in consecutive losses to Chicago and New Orleans.

Nielsen would inherit a Jacksonville unit with plenty of talent, beginning with pass rushers Josh Allen and Travon Walker. Linebackers Devin Lloyd and Foye Oluokun as well as cornerback Tyson Campbell, safety Andre Cisco and defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton also are expected to be core pieces in 2024.

The Falcons, who are still looking for a head coach, initially blocked Nielsen from interviewing for a lateral position with Jacksonville before relenting.

Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke also interviewed Shane Bowen (Tennessee), Chris Harris (Chicago), Chris Hewitt (Baltimore), Marquand Manuel (New York Jets) and Wink Martindale (New York Giants) for the opening.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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