Photo Credit: AP Photo/John Raoux
Last season, the Jaguars wanted power up front. Former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen pushed his players to bulk up, believing size would help stop the run. His motto: “Mass kicks ass.” But for edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, packing on extra weight did more harm than good. Now, heading into 2025, both players are trimming down—and hoping it helps them play faster, stay healthier, and get back to their dominant form.
Too Heavy to Thrive
Hines-Allen, formerly known as Josh Allen, weighed in at 285 pounds last season—the heaviest of his six-year career. While he aimed to remain dominant, he admitted the extra weight wore him down.
“My mindset was always to be as dominant, but obviously, holding a little bit more weight kind of puts a little bit more wear and tear on the body,” Hines-Allen said. “It was a lot. Too much.
“Again, learn to adapt. Got to know what works best for you. Something that I tried, and something that I’m, like, ‘All right, I probably don’t want to do that again.'”
His production dipped significantly. After posting a franchise-record 17.5 sacks and ranking third in the NFL in 2023, he finished 2024 with just 8 sacks—tied for 27th in the league. His pressure rate fell from 19.6% to 14.9%, and he dealt with more injuries than usual.
Though he didn’t blame his lower stats entirely on the weight gain, he admitted it likely played a role. “See, I don’t know because I was also getting banged up a lot more. “My body was not cooperating as much as I would want it to. I take care of my body to the utmost, but it was a little bit different. I don’t know if that had something to do with the weight. So, that’s something I took into consideration coming into this season,” he said.
While Hines-Allen wouldn’t share his current weight, he’s focused on feeling lighter and being able to stay on the field longer. He’s still chasing a big milestone—just 2.5 sacks away from becoming the Jaguars’ all-time leader, passing Tony Brackens.
Walker Takes a Similar Path
Travon Walker also added weight last year to play as a true defensive end in Nielsen’s 4-3 system. Already listed at 272 pounds, he bulked up slightly more—though he didn’t reveal how much. This spring, he’s down about 3 pounds but said he’s focused more on body composition than the scale.
Even though Walker set a new career high with 10.5 sacks, he felt the extra weight took a toll late in the year.
“I am not going to use that as an excuse, but I felt like it took a little bit of a toll on me closer [to] the end of the season,” Walker said. “It has its pros and cons.”
Walker, the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, is entering a crucial year. The Jaguars picked up his fifth-year option, and a strong 2025 could help him earn a long-term extension. If he logs another double-digit sack season, he’ll be the first Jaguar ever to do it three years in a row.
Still, Walker says his focus is on being an all-around defender. “Everybody wants to get double-digit sacks,” Walker said. “For me, I just want to be a total and complete football player. I want to be able to stop the run because we aren’t able to rush the passer without stopping the run. Once we do that it allows us to get after the quarterback. I just want to come out here and be the best overall player I can be every day.”
New Coordinator, New Plan
This offseason, the Jaguars brought in defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. Along with new head coach Liam Coen, they’ve allowed players to choose a playing weight that suits them—unlike last season, when the scheme heavily influenced physical demands.
I really like the way they look right now,” Campanile said. “I think they are really moving well. They have a ton of strength, which you need that. You need strength at the point of attack, you have to play physical. … “I love what they have done this offseason. Our strength staff has done an unbelievable job with these guys. They have been grinding them and it’s showing out here.”
“I really like the way they look right now. “They’re moving well, they’ve got strength, and they’ve been working hard. I love what they’ve done this offseason.”
Last year’s defensive rotation also caused frustration. There were stretches where both Hines-Allen and Walker—Jacksonville’s top pass rushers—were off the field at the same time. That left players like Arik Armstead and rookie Myles Cole in key situations.
Hines-Allen played 73% of defensive snaps, down from 79% in 2023. Walker dropped from 78% to 76%. Both want to be on the field more, and slimming down is part of that plan.
“I don’t want to get off the field,” Hines-Allen said. That allows me to lose a little weight, because I don’t want to get off the field. I want to do what’s best for my team.
“I want to play at a high level each and every rep, get out, get a squirt of water and come back in and play four or five plays if needed, full speed, and take over games. That’s my mentality, that’s the mindset and that’s the goal at the end of the day.”
Help on the Way, But Stars Must Lead
The Jaguars added veteran pass rushers Emmanuel Ogbah (47.5 career sacks) and Dawuane Smoot (25 sacks) to support the group. Still, Coen said the team will rely on Hines-Allen and Walker to lead the charge.
He’s optimistic that going back to their lighter playing weights will bring back the best version of both players.
“I know that they had put some weight on in order to play some of the schemes structures that they were playing, and that’s just anybody’s prerogative,” Coen said. “That’s the way they wanted to do it and ultimately just kind of evaluating it and talking to some of the players and just trying to get them back down a little bit to maybe where they had been when maybe they had had better years or been a little bit more productive and definitely better for those guys to feel fresh.”
In other words: less mass, more impact.
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This report used information from ESPN.
