Mass in the past: Josh Hines-Allen and his Jaguars teammates slim down in hopes of turning up

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Josh Hines-Allen tipped the scales like never before in 2024.

The seventh-year pro beefed up to 285 pounds at the behest of first-year (now former) Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, whose ''mass kicks ass'' motto was a mainstay during the offseason and in training camp.

It was catchy — and ultimately consequential.

Hines-Allen and several defensive teammates swelled past the point of stout, and it showed on the field. The Jaguars ranked 31st in the NFL in total defense last season, allowing nearly 390 yards a game. They gave up 26 points a game, tied for second-most in the league, and finished with the fewest takeaways (nine).

''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.''

Hines-Allen won't blame his performance — he totaled eight sacks after notching a career-high 17 1/2 in 2023 — on the extra pounds. But he suspects they were related.

''My body was not cooperating as much as I would want it to,'' Hines-Allen said. ''I take care of my body to the utmost, but it was a little bit different.''

Hines-Allen insists it won't happen again. Although he declined to disclose his current weight, he looks and feels leaner. And he's hardly alone.

Linebacker Devin Lloyd is down 15 pounds, from 255 to 240. Defensive end Travon Walker is a little lighter and has overhauled his body mass index. Veterans Arik Armstead, Foye Oluokun and DaVon Hamilton also are slimmer than last season — and the Jags expect it to pay dividends.

''Just the stamina aspect, bursts, getting out of breaks,'' Lloyd said. ''It's a lot easier, a lot more natural. For me, the cardio aspect of it was the biggest deal. You're running all day, and after like four or five plays, you get tired. Now you can be a little more prolonged with your endurance.''

Jacksonville owner Shad Khan cleaned house following last year's 4-13 finish. He fired coach Doug Pederson and later parted with general manager Trent Baalke. Nielsen, his defensive assistants and the entire strength and conditioning staff were let go once general manager James Gladstone, coach Liam Coen and executive vice president Tony Boselli took over.

The first edict for the defense might as well have been ''mass is in the past.''

''I know that they'd put some weight on in order to play some of the schemes, structures that they were playing,'' Coen said. ''That's just anybody's prerogative. That's the way they wanted to do it.

''Ultimately, just kind of evaluating it and talking to some of the players and trying to get them back down a little bit to maybe where they'd been when they'd had better years or been a little bit more productive. Definitely better for those guys to feel fresh.''

Hines-Allen feels much fresher — and lighter on his feet. He reached 20 mph during workouts last week.

''I still got it,'' he quipped.

With weight off his mind for the first time in more than a year, Hines-Allen is now focused on staying healthier, being on the field more, becoming an All-Pro, earning Defensive Player of the Year and setting the franchise sack record. He has 53 sacks, two shy of tying Tony Brackens for the team mark set in 2003.

''I can't go into another season thinking about my weight,'' Hines-Allen said. ''You know what I mean? That's why this year, coming back in that mindset and that weight class that I feel like I need to be, and it's dominant, it's fast, can move.

''I don't want to get off the field. … Get out, get a squirt of water, come back in and play four or five plays 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.''

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