JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — What a difference just one season makes. In 2024, the Jaguars’ defense ranked nearly dead last in just about every category. Fast forward 365 days later, and Anthony Campanile had just about that same group in the Top 5 in the NFL.
We’ve discussed the defensive line, linebackers, and cornerbacks, so let’s finish this thing off with the safety position. Before we get into anyone specific, I want to highlight a couple of key areas where the Jaguars saw monumental growth in the secondary. One of those is ball skills.
The Jaguars ranked first in pass defenses (108) and second in interceptions (22) in 2025, an incredible improvement from a year prior when they totaled 72 passes defensed and six interceptions. The Jaguars safety room alone fielded seven of those interceptions.
The other area of improvement was in their ability to limit explosive plays. Last season, the Jaguars ranked dead last, allowing 71 explosive passes. This season, the unit finished with just 46, nearly halving last season’s total.
Eric Murray
The Jaguars signed Eric Murray to get a solid, reliable defender on the back end, and that’s exactly what they got. Murray isn’t the flashiest player, but he did exactly what the Jaguars asked of him, limiting big plays.
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In coverage, Murray was responsible for a 75% completion rate, 197 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception for an NFL Rating of 109.2. To provide some context, all three of the Jaguars’ safeties (Antonio Johnson, Andre Cisco, Darnell Savage) allowed 300+ yards last season.
Andrew Wingard
The Jaguars had not one but two reliable safeties on the back end of the defense this season. It was needed, too, after all of the explosive plays and blown coverages last season.
Wingard isn’t the rangy, centerfield type of safety, but he has tallied six interceptions and 10 PBUs now in his career. This season, WIngard allowed a 65% completion rate, 293 yards, two touchdowns and one interceptions, according to Pro Football Focus.
It will be curious if the Jaguars elect to re-sign Wingard again. He finally earned his starting spot back this year, but the ascension of our next player might have forced the Jaguars hand.
Antonio Johnson
That next player? Antonio Johnson. Johnson finished the 2025 season on a generational run, thieving five interceptions, including three over the last four games. Those five interceptions ranked second among all NFL safeties this season.
Johnson was just as good when he wasn’t taking it the other way. On the season, he allowed just one pass over 16 yards, a 48-yard pass against the Broncos. Other than that one play, Johnson allowed zero explosive plays on the season.
In total, Johnson allowed a 67.7% completion rate for 192 yards, one touchdown to fix interceptions and an NFL Rating of just 55.5. That NFL Rating ranked eighth among the Top-107 safeties this season.
To provide some further insight into just how good Antonio Johnson was this season, he finished as Pro Football Focus’ highest graded safety and was sixth among all NFL defenders in EPA lost in coverage, according to NextGenStats.
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