The Jacksonville Jaguars must've breathed a sigh of relief when the NFL announced that the salary cap for 2026 would experience a spike of $20 million. This was welcomed news when you take into account that the Jags were nearly $22 million over the cap. But even after the increase, they have their work cut out for them if they want to either re-sign their own players or be active in free agency.
The front office will still need to make a few roster cuts and probably rework a handful of deals. On the other hand, the hike to the salary cap might've saved the following players from getting axed.
DaVon Hamilton, Jaguars defensive tackle
You can make the case that DaVon Hamilton is one of the most underrated players on the Jaguars right now. Heck, Josh Hines-Allen heaped praise on him last season, pointing out that he was a foundational part of the defense.
Sure, Ham's sacks totals won't pop off the statsheet, but he's a stud against the run. While that kind of skill won't get him many accolades, it certainly was a key to the Jacksonville defense's success in 2025. That said, his future with the Jags has been the subject of speculation because he's entering the last year of an extension he signed in 2023.
Releasing Hamilton would only free up $1.8 milllion in space and leave $10.5 million in dead money. Thus, restructuring his base salary of $7.4 million and converting a good chunk of it into a signing bonus to spread it to future years would be a more reasonable course of action.
Ezra Cleveland, Jaguars offensive guard
Like DaVon Hamilton, Ezra Cleveland is entering a contract year. Last offseason, the former Boise State Bronco seemed in danger of losing his starting job when Jacksonville drafted offensive guard Wyatt Milum. However, he fended off his rookie counterpart and went on to have his best season with the Jags.
Heading into the 2026 season, Cleveland is firmly entrenched as the starting left guard. However, he's seen as a potential cap casualty because the Jags could save a bit over $4 million if they release him. It doesn't look like they were looking forward to moving on from him, but if the front office was on the fence about the veteran hog molly, the cap increase should allow them to keep him around at least for another season.
Arik Armstead, Jaguars defensive tackle
Without a doubt, Arik Armstead will be brought up when discussing the most likely cap casualties in Jacksonville this offseason. The Jaguars could free up more than $14 million in space if they cut the defensive line veteran with a post-June 1 designation. This is a realistic outcome when you take into account that he got off to a strong start in 2025 but faded after suffering a hand injury midseason.
On the other hand, Armstead is a veteran voice and arguably the team's best interior defender. Thus, a more likely scenario would be to restructure his deal and spread some of his 2026 salary to next year. The salary cap hit would make it possible.