3 former Jaguars who could return to Jacksonville in free agency

It’s easy to forget now but the Jacksonville Jaguars’ search for a head coach was a long one but Doug Pederson got down to work as soon as he got hired.

Pederson has his work cut out and already warned everyone that there won’t be an overnight fix if the Jags really want to leave the cellar of the NFL. Nevertheless, he could help the team make meaningful strides this year if the organization brings in the right players. The Jags will have around $56 million cap space and they could use all that money to make a few impact signings in free agency.

Among those players that will be available in this year’s free agency, there will be three that used to wear the Black and Teal. The Jaguars should consider bringing them back for a second ride.

No. 1 former player the Jaguars could sign in 2022 – Calais Campbell, DE.

You could argue that trading defensive end Calais Campbell before the start of the 2022 season was one of the worst mistakes David Caldwell made during his eight-year stint as the general manager of the Jaguars and nobody would bat an eye. The move left the Jags without a key defensive cog and one of their most respected leaders and it all could have been avoided if the front office had given him a contract extension.

Campbell was pretty productive as a member of the Jaguars, starting 48 games and logging 31.5 sacks, 195 total tackles, and 44 tackles for a loss. Furthermore, he made the Pro Bowl in three consecutive years and earned a First-Team All-Pro designation in 2017.

Caldwell is no longer the Jaguars’ general manager and Campbell is set to become a free agent after spending the last two years with the Baltimore Ravens. At 35, he’s still going strong, posting a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 80.0 in 2021. PFF expects him to sign a one-year $8 million contract, which seems like a fair deal for both him and the team.