Before the Jacksonville Jaguars pursue any players in the open market, they will need to decide which of their own pending free agents they will re-sign. Money shouldn’t be an issue when making a decision since they’re set to have around $56 million in cap space this offseason.
However, bringing everyone back is unrealistic when you take into consideration that the Jags are set to have a total of 23 free agents. In particular, these four players might be giving the Jags’ front office a tough time.
No. 1 Jaguars tough decision in free agency – Tre Herndon, CB.
After going undrafted in 2018, cornerback Tre Herndon signed with the Jaguars, worked his way up the depth chart, and joined the starting lineup in 2019. However, he hurt his MCL last preseason and wasn’t 100 percent in 2021. He eventually gave up his job to Rudy Ford and hardly saw the field in the second half of the season.
Before he got hurt, Herndon was a mainstay of Jacksonville’s secondary, and while he may want to see what’s out there in the open market, he won’t probably be in high demand. On the other hand, the Jaguars’ cornerback room could use some depth. They could give Herndon the chance to compete for his old job and a chance to rehabilitate his stock.
No. 2 Jaguars tough decision in free agency – Damien Wilson, LB.
Coming off a Super Bowl win as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, linebacker Damien Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Jaguars last offseason. A fourth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2015, the Minnesota product had appeared in 65 games with 41 starts before landing in Jacksonville.
While Wilson has never played at an All-Pro level, he arguably had his best season as a pro in 2021. Before joining the Jags, he had never snagged an interception and he got his very first one in Jacksonville’s Week 18 matchup against the Colts. Moreover, he logged five passes defensed after never posting more than one in a season. While many things didn’t work for the Jags last season, the veteran linebacker became a key cog in their defense.
The front office should make an effort to re-sign Wilson but finding common ground might be complicated. Last year, he signed a one-year deal worth $2 million and he could be looking for a raise in 2022. He deserves it but how much is he going to ask for and how much are the Jaguars willing to offer? A three-year, $10 million seems reasonable but nobody should blame the linebacker if he wants to taste free agency and look for the best possible deal.
No. 3 Jaguars tough decision in free agency – Andrew Norwell, LG.
Last offseason, left guard Andrew Norwell restructured his contract. While his salary was reduced, he was guaranteed $9 million and a chance to hit the open market in 2022. Since signing a five-year deal worth $66.5 million in 2018, the Ohio State product has been one of the most consistent Jaguars’ offensive linemen.
Norwell hasn’t gotten any Pro Bowl or First-Team All-Pro designation since landing in Jacksonville but has finished with Pro Football Focus overall grades of 65.5 or higher over the last four years. The veteran guard struggled in the second half of the 2021 season and was responsible for the infamous whirlybird play against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3. Then again, the Jags were a mess last season, and Urban Meyer’s toxic environment might have had a negative effect on Norwell.
The Jaguars will be making changes upfront and their offensive line could look very different in 2022. Norwell, right guard A.J. Cann, and backup Tyler Shatley are all set to become free agents. The current administration could move on from them and start from scratch but there’s value in bringing back Norwell. He’s still a good starter and might not mind returning to Jacksonville as long as the Jags compensate him well.
Norwell won’t likely be the highest-paid guard in the NFL but keeping him won’t be a bargain either. Pro Football Focus expects him to get a three-year, $21.75 million contract this offseason. It will be up to the Jaguars’ brass to decide if they want to fork out that kind of cash for the guard.
No. 4 Jaguars tough decision in free agency – DJ Chark, WR.
This one could end up being one of the Jaguars’ most complicated negotiations this offseason. On one hand, DJ Chark Jr. has arguably been their best receiver over the last three seasons. However, he’s coming off an ankle fracture and has only posted one 1,000-yard season throughout his four-year career.
A second-round selection in 2018, Chark hauled in 73 receptions for 1,008 yards with eight touchdowns in his sophomore campaign and also made the Pro Bowl. But he wasn’t nearly as effective the following season and just caught 53 receptions for 706 yards with eight touchdowns. While not bad, that’s not the kind of production you expect from your number one receiver. Then again, his performance has been affected by Jacksonville’s instability at quarterback, as he’s never had a top signal-caller throwing passes to him.
Last season, Chark was averaging 22 yards per grab and was the Jaguars’ lone deep threat. As soon as he went down, the Jags’ offensive lost its groove. Using the franchise tag on the wide receiver might not make much sense, as he would get paid $18 million. On the other hand, the front office can’t just let him walk in free agency. The Jaguars could either give him a one-year, prove-it deal or give him a short-term deal that pays him around $11/13 million per season.
Chark isn’t an All-Pro at this point of his career but with more consistency and barring serious injuries, he could become a solid weapon in the Jaguars’ arsenal. He showed he can play at a high level in 2019. The question is whether he can do it again, and that’s something the Jaguars need to ponder in the upcoming days.
No. 5 Jaguars tough decision in free agency – Cam Robinson, LT.
While negotiations with DJ Chark could end up being more complicated, left tackle Cam Robinson could dictate the moves the Jaguars will make in free agency and the draft. Last offseason, the team used the franchise tag on him and they could use that mechanism for the second year in a row, which would pay him $16.5 million, to keep him around.
Robinson would like to earn that amount in 2022 but he would probably prefer more long-term security. Signing him to a one-year deal doesn’t seem like a realistic possibility knowing he could get more money if he gets slapped with the tag. The Jaguars could offer him a long-term deal but it’s uncertain what kind of money the Alabama product is looking for. Pro Football Focus expects him to sign a three-year contract worth $40.5 million with $20.5 guaranteed this offseason.
That seems like a fair deal for a player that isn’t in the upper echelon of his position but is a capable starter. Nevertheless, Robinson may want to look for a better deal in order to maximize his value in free agency. The window of opportunity for NFL players to cash in is pretty limited and nobody should blame them for trying to secure as much money as possible.
On the other hand, the Jaguars can’t afford to overpay for the left tackle and if they can’t meet his salary demands, they should let him test the open market. After all, they will have the chance to take Alabama offensive lineman Evan Neal in the 2022 NFL Draft and Walker Little is on the roster, so the team will have choices in case they can’t secure Robinson.