JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars lost out on one big ticket free agent but added another one.
One day after losing receiver Calvin Ridley, the Jaguars made a splash on defense by signing tackle Arik Armstead to a three-year contract. The Jaguars announced the deal on Friday afternoon. The deal is reportedly for $51 million and addresses a significant hole on the defense. It reunites Armstead with the man who drafted him in San Francisco, Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke.
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Armstead (6-7, 310 pounds) was a salary cap casualty of San Francisco before the start of free agency.
Armstead, 30, has 33.5 sacks in 116 games with San Francisco. Not only was Armstead highly productive on the field, he was a model off of it. Armstead was the 49ers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee the last four seasons. Armstead played in 12 games last season, finishing with 27 tackles and five sacks while dealing with a knee injury. Armstead said in previous interviews that his knee would require a bit of recovery time but expected to be ready for training camp.
His addition fortifies a defensive line that needs reinforcements. Tackle DaVon Hamilton was largely ineffective after signing a contract extension last offseason, hobbled by a back infection that was troublesome and significant. A healthy Armstead paired with a healthy Hamilton, Travon Walker and Josh Allen gives new coordinator Ryan Nielsen quite a bit of firepower up front.