Linebacker Jake Ryan missed the 2018 season with a torn ACL, so he didn’t spend much time playing for Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.
Ryan spent plenty of time playing for Pettine’s predecessor Dom Capers. Ryan played 43 games and made 27 starts in his first three seasons and Capers was calling the defensive plays for all of them.
Capers was relieved of those duties after the 2017 season and moved on to a defensive assistant post in Jacksonville this year. Ryan joined him with the Jaguars last week and said Capers’ presence was a “big part” of his decision to sign.
“Dom has been a huge part of my life from the time I was in Green Bay,” Ryan said, via the Jaguars website. “He has helped me out a bunch. [He] kind of guided me through everything when I came in as a rookie. I played outside linebacker a little bit in college, and my senior year, I switched to inside. Dom kind of took me under his wing when I got to Green Bay and helped me out.”
Ryan said he feels “pretty far along” in his rehab from the torn ACL and the timing of his injury last summer should leave him with a good shot of being ready to go in time for the start of Jacksonville’s season.