The Jacksonville Jaguars have plenty of cap space in 2021 but they can still make room for more.
Things are starting to look up for the Jacksonville Jaguars after finishing the 2020 season with a 1-15 record. They hired the head coach they wanted in Urban Meyer and their front office is now led by general manager Trent Baalke. They currently hold 11 draft picks, including the first overall selection, in the 2021 NFL Draft and are projected to have $73 million in cap space.
The ‘Jags’ will be able to be active in free agency due to their amount of cap space. They could make a couple of splash signings and bring in a couple of difference-makers to contribute right away. However, they can create even more cap space by releasing a few players.
Last season, the team’s brass traded a handful of players in order to save money. However, they didn’t inject the savings back into the roster and refrained from making meaningful additions other than linebacker Joe Schobert and tight end Tyler Eifert.
This year should be different though, Jacksonville has the resources to be aggressive in free agency and should get as many playmakers as they can. Releasing these three players would help them do so.
The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t get much from Tyler Eifert in 2020.
Tyler Eifert was a fine tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals early in his career and he could’ve been one of the best ones at his position had it not been for injuries. To his credit, he played a full 16-game season in 2019, which prompted the Jaguars to give him a two-year $9.5 million contract last offseason.
However, Eifert is not more than a role player at this point in his career. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as not every player can be an All-Pro. In 2020, he hauled in 36 receptions for 349 yards and two touchdowns, which is solid but not what Jacksonville probably expected when they brought him in.
Eifert’s production may not justify his $6.375 million salary in 2021, and the ‘Jags’ could save $5.25 million by releasing him. They would take a $1.25 million dead cap hit but they could use the savings to upgrade their tight end room and sign a free agent such as Jonnu Smith or Hunter Henry.
If Eifert’s salary were lower, it would make sense for the Jaguars to keep him. Nevertheless, they need to trim the roster and bring in difference-makers that will help them turn things around.
It may be time for Jacksonville Jaguars to move on from Taven Bryan.
When the Jaguars used the 29th overall selection in 2018’s draft on defensive tackle Taven Bryan, they probably expected him to be the icing on a formidable defense that had reached the AFC Championship the year before.
However, Bryan hasn’t turned into the force the team’s brass hoped and has been a non-factor during his three-year tenure in Jacksonville. In 48 games, the Florida product has amassed 71 total tackles (11 for a loss), 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Meanwhile, players that were drafted after the defensive tackle such as quarterback Lamar Jackson and linebacker Darius Leonard have become key contributors for their respective franchises.
Last season, Bryan had a hard time cracking the lineup and things may not get any easier for him in 2021 with DaVon Hamilton and Doug Costin on the roster. This is why parting ways with the former first-round pick may be in everybody’s best interest.
Bryan will get the chance to have a fresh start somewhere else and the Jaguars’ can save $1.59 million by releasing him. Granted, the team won’t save much money, but they can offer the roster spot to someone who can have a bigger impact.
This may be a tough one for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Guard Andrew Norwell has been a stud for the Jaguars since he joined the team back in 2018. During his three-year stint in Jacksonville the Ohio State product has missed eight games with injuries but has been an asset when he’s on the field.
However, Norwell is set to make $15 million in 2021 and the ‘Jags’ could save $9 million with a $6 million cap hit if they moved on from him. Last season, he played on 77 percent of the team’s total snaps on offense and allowed three sacks and 15 total pressures. While the guard been a solid player, the team’s brass could get similar production from someone on a more affordable salary.
This doesn’t mean Norwell needs to start cleaning out his locker. The ‘Jags’ can easily afford the remainder of his salary, which runs until 2022. On the other hand, it’s uncertain what kind of moves the team plans to make in free agency, and if they find themselves running short on cash, parting ways with the guard would be one of the first options they might consider.
Releasing Norwell would be kind of shocking. Then again, you should always expect the unexpected when it comes to the NFL. The Jaguars are in a rebuilding process and could make a couple of moves nobody saw coming.