JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – NFL free agency is almost here.
The new league year opens on March 16 at 4 p.m., which will trigger the avalanche of free agent signings across the league. The Jaguars are in need of an infusion of talent after last year’s 3-14 disaster. The teams has nearly $60 million in salary cap space, according to OvertheCap.com, and are expected to address some of their needs in free agency.
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Players who have been franchise tagged can still be traded.
Jaguars free agents
LB Tyrell Adams (re-signed with Jaguars)
LB Dakota Allen
WR Tavon Austin
DL Taven Bryan
OG A.J. Cann
WR DJ Chark
WR Terry Godwin
DL Adam Gotsis
CB Tre Herndon
TE Jacob Hollister
CB Nevin Lawson
DE/OLB Lerentee McCray
OG Andrew Norwell
RB Dare Ogunbowale
TE James O’Shaughnessy
OG Will Richardson
OT Cam Robinson (franchise tag)
LB Chapelle Russell
OG Tyler Shatley (re-signed with Jaguars)
WR Laquon Treadwell
DE Jihad Ward
LB Damien Wilson
S Andrew Wingard
Top 4 Free agents by Position
Quarterback
Jameis Winston, Saints
Teddy Bridgewater, Broncos
Mitchell Trubisky, Bills
Marcus Mariota, Raiders
Jaguars outlook: The Jaguars won’t be big players in the free-agent QB market. If they have any interest in a quarterback this offseason it will be to compete with CJ Beathard for the veteran backup role. Maybe a guy like Jacksonville native John Wolford.
Running back
Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons
Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers
Chase Edmonds, Cardinals
Melvin Gordon, Broncos
Jaguars outlook: With James Robinson and Travis Etienne on the roster the Jaguars have the top of their depth chart set. Both players should be recovered from their injuries and ready to hit the field for training camp. Even with that in mind, it would be a smart move for the Jaguars to add a little depth and insurance in case of a setback. They could do that with a veteran free agent like Corey Clement (played for Pederson in Philly and the forgotten man on the Philly Special) or with a late-round pick in the draft.
Wide receiver
Davante Adams, Packers (franchise tag)
Chris Godwin, Buccaneers (franchise tag)
Allen Robinson, Bears
DJ Chark, Jaguars
Jaguars outlook: This is a position of need for the Jaguars. In the 2022 NFL, there is no such thing as too many weapons on offense. D.J. Chark is a free agent and if the Jaguars are unable to bring him back that further weakens a position that could already use some upgrades. The WR market was expected to be robust, but injuries have thinned it out some. With Adams and Godwin both getting tagged and Mike Williams signing a long-term contract the top player on the market is Allen Robinson. Bringing Robinson back to where his NFL career started would be a popular move among the fan base. The Jags should look to retain Chark and add a player like Christian Kirk or Juju Smith-Schuster.
Tight end
Mike Gesicki, Dolphins (franchise tag)
Dalton Schultz, Cowboys (franchise tag)
Zach Ertz, Cardinals
David Njoku, Browns (franchise tag)
Jaguars outlook: Dan Arnold proved in 2021 that he is a solid starting option. With a tight end, that doesn’t mean the Jaguars couldn’t look to upgrade the position. Both Schultz and Gesicki would add considerable punch to the Jaguars passing attack. A guy like Zach Ertz may be on the tail end of his career but can still play. He also played for Pederson in Philly so he would bring some familiarity to the offense.
Offensive tackle
Terron Armstead, Saints
Orlando Brown Jr., Chiefs (franchise tag)
Duane Brown, Seahawks
Trent Brown, Patriots
Jaguars outlook: With the Jaguars tagging Cam Robinson for the second year in a row they are likely out of the market for any of the top free-agent tackles this year. That move may be directly tied to how they view the NFL draft. With the No. 1 overall pick, the Jaguars could use that to select Evan Neal Ikem Ekwonu, or they could be leaning towards a pass rusher.
Offensive guard
Brandon Scherff, Commanders
Laken Tomlinson, 49ers
Connor Williams, Cowboys
James Daniels, Bears
Jaguars outlook: The offensive line is set to get a big remodel. Andrew Norwell and AJ Cann are both set to be free agents. Cann would make sense for the Jaguars to retain, but Ben Bartch showed last season he can be an NFL starter. The Jaguars could look to spend some of that cap space on a guy like Scherff or Tomlinson. Any money spent here is an investment in giving Trevor Lawrence a pocket to step into.
Center
Ryan Jensen, Buccaneers
Ben Jones, Titans
Brian Allen, Rams
Matt Paradis, Panthers
Jaguars outlook: Brandon Linder has played well when healthy but injuries have sidelined him over the past few years. Linder is heading into the final year of his contract. The Jags should let Linder play out his contract in 2022. Tyler Shatley has provided some solid depth and has already re-signed with the Jaguars.
Interior defensive line
Akiem Hicks, Bears
Calais Campbell, Ravens
B.J. Hill, Bengals
D.J. Jones, 49ers
Jaguars outlook: No major needs on the inside of the defensive line. The addition of Roy Robertson-Harris and Malcom Brown last offseason proved to be solid. A reunion with Campbell would definitely make many fans happy.
Edge
Chandler Jones, Cardinals
Von Miller, Rams
Jadeveon Clowney, Browns
Harold Landry III, Titans (re-signed with Titans)
Jaguars outlook: Similar to offensive tackle the way the Jaguars look at the position, this will be tied to how they look at the NFL draft. If they plan to select Kayvon Thibodeaux or Aidan Hutchinson at No. 1 overall, they likely won’t be major players at the position. But if they favor Evan Neal then the Jaguars should plan to open their checkbook and make a run at Chandler Jones. Jones almost single-handedly beat the Titans in Week 1 last season. In an interview with ESPN Jones said his favorite team growing up was the Jaguars and he used to say “one day I’m going to be a Jacksonville Jaguar.” It would make sense for the Jaguars to try and make his childhood dream come true.
Linebacker
De’vondre Campbell, Packers
Dont’a Hightower, Patriots
Alexander Johnson, Broncos
Leighton Vander Esch, Cowboys
Jaguars outlook: Last year’s starting linebacker Damien Wilson is set to be a free agent. With the changes to the coaching staff, it would be a surprise if the Jaguars looked to fill that starting role with a new face. Alexander Johnson would be an intriguing option to add. A name that makes sense from a depth perspective is Kevin Minter. Minter played for Mike Caldwell in Arizona and Tampa Bay.
Cornerback
J.C. Jackson, Patriots
Stephon Gilmore, Panthers
Carlton Davis, Buccaneers
Darious Williams, Rams
Jaguars outlook: The Jaguars are set at outside cornerback. Rudy Ford played well in the slot late in the season, but the Jaguars could look to upgrade the position. Bryce Callahan is one of the top slot corners in the league. Injuries have slowed him down, but he may be worth the risk for the Jaguars. Williams is a former Creekside High School star who played opposite Jalen Ramsey in Los Angeles.
Safety
Marcus Williams, Saints
Jessie Bates III, Bengals (franchise tag)
Tyrann Mathieu, Chiefs
Quandre Diggs, Seahawks
Jaguars outlook: No pressing need at safety after signing Rayshawn Jenkins and drafting Andre Cisco last season. If the Jaguars are looking for veteran depth to provide some competition at the position a guy like Rodney McLeod would make sense. McLeod played for Pederson in Philly.