The Jaguars didn’t just add a pass-rush piece this week. They had to clear a spot for him, and the move they made says plenty about how they’re sorting out the edge of their defense.
Jacksonville signed BJ Ojulari to the practice squad after its 34-10 win over the Cleveland Browns, then opened room by stashing B.J. Green II on injured reserve. That sequence also allowed the Jaguars to bring Jack Kiser back to the roster. In other words, Ojulari’s arrival wasn’t a standalone addition — it came with an immediate personnel tradeoff.
That matters because the Jaguars have already shown they can get after the quarterback. They finished the Browns game with five sacks, a number that gives the front some proof of concept even before Ojulari takes a snap. But the team still moved quickly to add another rusher, which suggests it sees room to keep reshaping that group rather than simply riding what it already had in Week 1.
Ojulari is an interesting bet for that reason. He was a third-round pick by the Cardinals in 2023 and recorded four sacks as a rookie, then missed the entire 2024 season after an injury. Jacksonville is bringing him in with that recent interruption in mind, but also with a clear plan to get him up to speed.
The Jaguars said they’ll try to get Ojulari acclimated as much as possible.
That’s the practical part of the move. The more revealing part is where the roster spot came from.
Green left the Browns game with an elbow injury and didn’t return. The Jaguars later placed him on injured reserve, which means he has to miss at least four games. The team also expects to get him back sooner rather than later, but for now his absence is what made Ojulari’s addition possible.
Ojulari’s skill set gives the Jaguars something a little different to work with, too. He can rush the quarterback from a two-point stance and can also drop into coverage. That kind of versatility gives the coaching staff options, especially if it wants to mix and match how it uses its edge players while Green is out.
It also puts more pressure on the young pass-rush group around him. Ojulari’s arrival doesn’t just add depth; it changes the competition for snaps and roster spots on a front that is already being managed week to week.
For Jacksonville, the message is pretty direct: the pass rush is a place where the team is willing to make a move now, even if that means pushing someone else onto the shelf to do it.