3 logical landing spots for Devin Lloyd if Jaguars let him hit free agency

The Jacksonville Jaguars don't have much salary cap space to work with this offseason, and they have a defensive cornerstone in Devin Lloyd who'll be the most in-demand linebacker in free agency.

Sounds like a tough situation. Jacksonville can't really use the franchise tag on Lloyd and expect to make any other good moves. A contract extension is the ideal outcome, yet it ain't easy when you're $13+ million in the cap red for 2026 as of now.

So If the Jags try to save some money and let Lloyd test the market, where could he land? Three destinations pop out among what should be many interested parties.

Bengals could actually have a serious defense by signing Devin Lloyd

As the resident site expert for Stripe Hype, I'd love it if my beloved Cincinnati Bengals were to be so bold and sign Devin Lloyd.

The Bengals' front office is a little prideful. A little high on their own supply, if you will. Would it shock me if they genuinely believe Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter will both take Year 2 leaps to become an elite linebacker tandem, after being the worst pairing in the NFL in 2025? Not at all.

So there's that possible reality. Then, there are the ample opportunities to spend less on other vets in free agency. Plus, Ohio State's Sonny Styles could be on the board when Cincinnati picks at 10th overall.

None of this means Lloyd should be ruled out. He's exactly the field general in the heart of the defense that the Bengals' deficient front seven is in desperate need of.

Raiders in prime position to outbid competition for Devin Lloyd & kick off new era with a bang

So yeah, circling back to that point about cap space and the Jags' lack of it. The Las Vegas Raiders are flush with cash to spend. And their players don't pay taxes on home games in the state of Nevada.

Las Vegas also owns the No. 1 overall pick and the next hotshot offensive wizard as their new head coach in Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl champ Klint Kubiak. Are we sure Maxx Crosby wants to bail from Sin City??

One way for the Raiders to convince Crosby to stick around is by acquiring Lloyd in free agency. If you ask me — even if you didn't, here you are, reading my scratch — they should sign Lloyd, pick up Malik Willis as their new starting QB, trade back from No. 1 for a king's ransom, and gas up that roster in a hurry.

Then again, if Mendoza is awesome on that cheap rookie contract, well, Kubiak will prove himself as a home run hire. Really a win-win scenario any way you slice it. I imagine the Raiders stick and pick the reigning Heisman Trophy winner out of Indiana.

Back to Lloyd. Vegas linebacker from 2025's dreadful defense is hitting the open market. There might not be a team in the NFL outside of Cincinnati with a bigger need at the position. Maybe hyperbole but I don't think so? In any event, nobody better to fill said linebacker need than Devin Lloyd.

And what a statement nabbing Lloyd would be by Kubiak, GM John Spytek, minority owner Tom Brady and Co. as these new-look Raiders try to right the ship and compete in the stacked AFC West.

Devin Lloyd is Buccaneers' perfect Lavonte David successor

Thanks in part to a cap-savvy front office and Baker Mayfield's modest cost as a high-level starter when healthy, the Bucs are in a unique position to keep Devin Lloyd in the Sunshine State with a few personnel tweaks.

Lavonte David is hitting the open market at 36 years old. He's one of the best linebackers of his generation. He has maybe one more season in him. Regardless, Lloyd would give this Bucs defense a much-needed lift.

While bringing aboard Lloyd would likely mean bidding adieu to franchise legend/fully 100% confirmed Super Bowl champion Mike Evans (IYKYK), it'd be well worth it.

Let's be real. Tampa Bay is on the precipice of collapse. The roster has quietly regressed in recent years. Baker tends to gut through injuries, and his performance suffers as a result. Among the 10 head coaching changes across the NFL, I'm stunned Todd Bowles wasn't one of them.

Lloyd symbolizes a stabilizing force who could save Bowles' job, and allow the Bucs not to press for a need by reaching on a linebacker too early in the 2026 draft.