5 former Jaguars who will be missed the most in 2022

No. 2 former Jaguars player who will be missed – Damien Wilson, LB.

Signing Damien Wilson was a bit of a surprise, as the Jaguars waited until the second wave of last year’s free agency to land the veteran linebacker. Back when he joined the team, Myles Jack and Joe Schobert were the two starting linebackers and with defensive coordinator Joe Cullen running a 3-4 scheme, it was uncertain what Wilson’s role was going to be.

In the end, the Jags traded Schobert to the Pittsburgh Steelers before the start of the 2021 season and Wilson went on to take the spot next to Jack. A fourth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2014 draft, the Minnesota product was part of the Kansas City Chiefs team that won a Super Bowl and lost another to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Wilson registered his first career interception in his lone season with the Jaguars. It came against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18, putting a nail in their playoff aspirations. Moreover, he logged a career-best five passes defensed and showed proficiency as a blitzer, racking up three sacks in 2021.

It’s uncertain why the Jags didn’t bring back Wilson. Maybe he was interested in getting paid or perhaps he wanted to look for greener pastures. Also, general manager Trent didn’t make an aggressive effort to retain him, so it looks like a mutual decision. Whatever the case was, he went on to sign a two-year deal worth $6.9 million with the Carolina Panthers.