The brunt of the offseason is in the books and training camp is still off on the horizon. Join us in the NFL’s dead zone with a player-by-player review of the Jaguars roster ahead of the 2023 season.
Upgrading a lackluster pass rush seemed to jump out as a top priority for the Jacksonville Jaguars entering the 2023 offseason. But instead, the team seemed content to mostly rely on the players already on the roster.
The notable exception was the addition of two-time All-ACC linebacker Yasir Abdullah.
Despite being one of the nation’s most prolific and athletic pass rushers in the collegiate ranks, Abdullah slipped to the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft due mostly to his 6’1, 234-pound frame.
Even smaller pass rushers have found NFL success in the past, but those players were the exception to the rule. Jacksonville is hopeful that Abdullah will be the latest to prove himself an outlier.
Contract (2023): $750,000 base salary, $91,304 prorated signing bonus, $841,304 cap hit.
Acquired: Jaguars drafted Abdullah with the No. 136 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft.
- 84.2 (2022 – Louisville)
- 75.4 (2021 – Louisville)
- 78.6 (2020 – Louisville)
- 65.7 (2019 – Louisville)
- 64.3 (2018 – Louisville)
Statistics:
- 9.5 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, four forced fumbles (2022)
- 10 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble (2021)
- Three sacks, seven tackles for loss, three forced fumbles (2020)
- One sack, four tackles for loss, one interception (2019)
- Eight tackles (2018)
Highlight:
The physicality of Yasir Abdullah. @AbYasiir @KhanRafena @LouisvilleFB @EricMacLain pic.twitter.com/80bRHeO1Kn
— Xavier Mfalme Abdullah كزافييه مفلمي عبد الله (@Zay_McCray) March 8, 2023
Quote: “It matters what you do on the field, no matter what size you are. There’s a lot of guys in this league that have been productive and they’re shorter than me. Like Haason Reddick … who else? There’s a lot of guys. Elvis Dumervil, James Harrison. Legends. When people talk about my height, it just gives me extra fuel and stuff to show them I can be this small, I can be this big, and I’ll still dominate.” – Abdullah
