One day after releasing veteran safety Darnell Savage, the Jacksonville Jaguars have filled that roster spot by signing defensive back Kahlef Hailassie to the 53-man roster.
Hailassie went undrafted in 2023 and has spent time with Kansas City, Cleveland, and was most recently on the Minnesota practice squad.
In his NFL career, Hailassie has played 104 defensive snaps, all of which came as a rookie with the Browns in 2023.
So, where does Hailassie fit within the Jaguars’ defensive back room?
Jacksonville listed Hailassie as a safety, but during his college career at Western Kentucky and in his brief NFL experience, he’s played mostly outside cornerback, which provides the Jaguars some added versatility.
Andrew Wingard and Eric Murray are the starters at safety, but under Anthony Campanile, the Jaguars have deployed quite a few three-safety looks in these first two games. This was a role that was filled by Savage, who saw 48 defensive snaps between Weeks 1 and 2.
Presumably, Antonio Johnson will now step into that role. He, along with Savage and Wingard, was competing this summer for the starting role next to Murray. He’s also more experienced than Rayuan Lane and obviously knows the defensive scheme better than Hailassie.
So, at least early on, Hailassie’s role will likely be to bolster the depth at this position and potentially help out on special teams–a role Lane has filled as well.
Jaguars’ depth chart at safety after signing Kahlef Hailassie
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars updated safety depth chart after Kahlef Hailassie signing
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
