Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars' Josh Evans transitions to strong safety

Published Jun. 10, 2015 12:01 a.m. ET

foxsports

After playing free safety his first two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Josh Evans is learning what it takes to play free safety in Gus Bradley's defensive system.

Evans, a former sixth-round pick out of Florida, started 13 games at free safety in 2014. As Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union points out, Evans finished third on the team with 90 tacklesand his 968 snaps were second only to strong safety Johnathan Cyprien.

Yet despite the extensive playing time, Evans rarely produced impact plays. Entering his third season in the NFL, he has yet to pull down and interception and has just two pass break ups, though he has recovered two fumbles.

With that in mind, general manager Dave Caldwell decided to upgrade the position. Jacksonville added Sergio Brown in free agency and drafted James Sample out of Louisville in the fourth round. Evans is now Cyprien's backup. Even with Sample out with a broken arm, the plan is keep Evans at strong safety.

“He’s played a lot of free,” head coach Bradley said, via Carlyon. “Now, we want to get him a lot of reps at strong to make him more versatile for those times when we can only have three or four safeties.”

Evans said the move to strong safety has carried with it added responsibilities.

“At strong, you’re like an athletic linebacker,” Evans said. “You’re learning everything they learn as far as run fits. At free, you’re roaming more back deep. Every now and then you come up in the box. Now, I should know everything Poz [Posluszny] knows. I have to fit the run just as good as him. There’s more detail at strong. That’s why I commend Cyp, because really you’re playing two positions in linebacker and safety.”

On thing Evans has going for him this season is he's finally healthy. The 24-year-old hurt his shoulder in December of 2013, but elected to put off surgery. The injury hampered him all of last season.

“I was battling it the whole year,” Evans said. “As a safety, that shoulder injury puts you in situations where you miss tackles now and then. Now that it’s healed, I feel way better and more confident. It’s more stable and I can be more physical.”

Evans has been held out of team drills during OTAs as a precaution, but said he should be able to participate fully in training camp.

(h/t Florida Times-Union)
Photo credit: Melina Vastola/USA TODAY Sports