Once the Jacksonville Jaguars figure out who their next head coach will be, the next topic on their to-do list will be to decide what pending free agents they’re going to re-sign.
As of this writing, the Jags have 22 of their players who are set to hit the open market in March. While none of them are what you would call generational talent, some of them went on to make important contributions in 2021 and could play a key role next season. In particular, these four players need to return to Duval.
No. 1 Jaguars player that must be re-signed in 2022 – Tyler Shatley, OL
Tyler Shatley has been an unsung hero for the Jaguars over the last few years. While he won’t make the Pro Bowl any time soon, he’s the kind of utility player that will always step up when called upon. In 2021, he stepped in at right guard after A.J. Cann suffered a season-ending MCL injury. He also subbed in at center for Brandon Linder for six games.
The Jags signed Shatley as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and he’s gone on to appear in 111 games with 33 starts. Moreover, he hasn’t missed a game since 2015. Teams covet that kind of consistency in a sport where availability is the best ability. The former Clemson Tiger is the kind of player that can line up anywhere in the interior offensive line and you won’t see much drop in production. He signed a one-year contract last offseason and should get another deal in 2022.
No. 2 Jaguars player that must be re-signed in 2022 – Adam Gotsis, DT.
Defensive tackle Adam Gotsis signed a one-year deal with the Jaguars in 2020. He appeared in all 16 games and made four starts and returned to Duval last offseason. In retrospect, the team’s brass got it right and it’s a good thing they decided to bring back the 2016 second-round pick.
Even though Gotsis played just 43 percent of the team’s defensive snaps this past season, he logged three sacks, 11 pressures, and six tackles for a loss. While those numbers aren’t eye-popping, they’re better than the ones he logged in 2020. Moreover, the former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket made several key plays throughout the year.
Back in Week 16, he blocked an extra point attempt against the New York Jets in Week 16. In the season finale, he stopped Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor on fourth-and-2, which got the Jaguars’ the ball back in the first quarter. Later in the game, he made another stop on three-and-1 that forced Indy to go for it on the next down. While the Colts ultimately converted, the defensive tackle showed the kind of impact he had on the field when he’s playing at a high level.
Gotsis became a key cog in the Jaguars’ defensive line rotation in 2021. He and fellow defensive tackle Taven Bryan are slated to become free agents but if the Jaguars need (or want) to keep one of them, it should be Gotsis.
No. 3 Jaguars player that must be re-signed in 2022 – Laquon Treadwell, WR.
Wide receiver Laquon Treadwell was a feel-good story in 2021. A first-round selection by the Minnesota Vikings in 2016, the Mississippi product never lived up to his draft billing in the Twin Cities and after three uneventful years, he was released. Although he returned to the Vikes in 2019, he didn’t do much of note, hauling in nine receptions for 184 yards with one touchdown.
Treadwell signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 but also failed to have an impact and hit the open market at the end of the season. The wide receiver went unsigned in the first wave of free agency in 2021 but eventually latched on to the Jaguars. While he looked like a depth signing at first, he went on to compete for a roster spot. He eventually got released during the last round of roster cuts but was quickly signed to Jacksonville’s practice squad.
Once injuries struck the Jags’ wide receiver corps, they signed Treadwell to their active roster and quickly became one of Trevor Lawrence’s favorite targets, catching 31 passes for 405 yards with one touchdown over the seven weeks of the season.
Despite the fact that the Jaguars must revamp their wide receiver corps in 2022, they also need to bring back Treadwell, who would be a solid number three or four in their passing game. He already developed a good rapport with Lawrence. Why not build off of it next season?
No. 4 Jaguars player that must be re-signed in 2022 – DJ Chark, WR.
If there’s a pending free agent the Jaguars can’t afford to lose this offseason, it’s wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. After having a relatively down season in 2020, he was supposed to bounce back and return to his Pro Bowl form in 2021. However, he suffered a fractured ankle in Week 4 that cut his campaign short.
While Chark only caught seven passes in 2021, two of those were touchdowns. Moreover, he averaged 22 yards per reception. He’s the kind of deep threat that draws coverage away from his teammates and opens things up on offense. Once he went down, the Jaguars’ lacked someone who could get deep and their offense suffered a dip in production because of it.
Chark is still recovering from the ankle fracture but he recently uploaded a video on social media where you can see he’s already started running again. While he’s not fully healthy yet, it’s encouraging to see his progress.
The Jaguars can give Chark a team-friendly deal or offer him a one-year contract with the opportunity to rehabilitate his stock and hit the open market once again in 2023. Regardless of the route the team takes, they can’t afford to let him walk away.