New Jaguars defensive backs Lewis, Murray spark Texas-sized turnaround in season opener

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars' Texas offseason spending paid immediate dividends Sunday as veteran defensive backs Jourdan Lewis and Eric Murray delivered game-changing plays in the 26-10 season-opening victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Lewis, signed from Dallas in March, finished with five tackles, a fumble recovery and three pass breakups, including an interception in the final minute. Murray, who arrived from Houston in the same free-agent haul, had seven stops, a quarterback hurry and forced a tipped pass that resulted in a second-quarter interception. The pair played a role in all three of Jacksonville's turnovers.

The moves addressed a glaring need after the Jaguars finished 2024 with the NFL's worst pass defense and among the league's fewest takeaways. Jacksonville committed more than $50 million in March to sign Lewis and Murray — Lewis on a three-year, $30 million contract with $20 million guaranteed and Murray on a three-year, $22.5 million deal with $12 million guaranteed.

"To get three in one game is probably a good start," first-time head coach Liam Coen said. Coen's defense faces a stiffer challenge next Sunday at Cincinnati (1-0).

Linebacker Foye Oluokun provided additional impact, recording 10 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble while playing in defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile's more aggressive scheme. "I wanted to be a playmaker," Oluokun said. "They gave me the opportunity to have my eyes back more on the ball... let's all go attack the ball." Campanile is serving as defensive coordinator for the first time in Jacksonville.

Offensively, the Jaguars' line steadied questions about its play by producing 200 rushing yards — the team's first 200-yard ground performance since 2022 — and not allowing a sack. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence praised the group's effort but acknowledged lingering issues with penalties. Four of five starting offensive linemen were flagged, and Jacksonville finished with a dozen penalties for 93 yards, 11 of which were enforced.

"You're frustrated with some of the penalties that have continued to bite us in the butt," Coen said. "That's not something we want to get used to doing by any means. ... We cannot do those things and expect to win."

Several roster notes shaped the secondary's composition for the opener. Rookie Travis Hunter, selected second overall, played primarily on offense. Safety Caleb Ransaw, a third-round pick, is out for the season after Lisfranc surgery, and sixth-round selection Rayuan Lane saw only special teams snaps. That left Lewis and Murray as the most experienced options in the defensive backfield.

Receiver Parker Washington, a training-camp standout, had limited impact in the opener, playing 17 snaps mostly late in the game and failing to record a target. Right tackle Anton Harrison exited late with a back injury.

Jacksonville's three takeaways were notable given the franchise's recent struggles creating turnovers: the team's nine takeaways last season tied for the fewest in the NFL in any season since San Francisco had seven in 2018. Lewis highlighted the unit's identity after the win. "We pride ourselves on getting the ball back and being physical," he said. "We did a really good job getting the ball back. Hopefully those come in bunches. But we have a lot of things to clean up."

The Jaguars' defense will be tested again quickly, traveling to Cincinnati as Coen seeks to build consistency and clean up repeated penalty issues while New Jacksonville acquisitions look to maintain the momentum from their debut performances.