The Jacksonville Jaguars fought hard and even had the Buffalo Bills against the ropes several times in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. However, they didn't do nearly enough to win the game. Now, they'll turn into offseason mode and begin making moves to improve the larger scale roster.
James Gladstone got plenty of things right in his first year as the Jacksonville general manager, but he has his work cut out if the Jaguars want to return to the playoffs in 2026. But before he can bring in talent in free agency and the draft, he'll need to trim down the roster. With this in mind, here are players who definitely won't return to Jacksonville in 2025.
Andrew Wingard, Jaguars safety
Nobody will deny that Andrew Wingard overachieved since the moment he signed with the Jags as an undrafted free agent in 2019. After making the initial 53-man roster as a rookie, he worked his way up the depth chart and joined the starting lineup full-time in 2021. Having said that, Dewey reached the ceiling a while back and isn't much more than a low-end starter. Heck, he's better suited for a backup role and special teams.
Wingard still started several games in 2025 but lost snaps to fellow safety Antonio Johnson, who bounced back after struggling the year prior. With Johnson poised to keep making strides and Rayuane Lane showing promise, there will no longer be room for the former Wyoming Cowboy in what will be a crowded safety room.
Walker Little, Jaguars offensive tackle
Although the Jags drafted Walker Little in the second round of the 2021 draft, he didn't get a chance to be a full starter until 2024. And it only happened because Cam Robinson was traded to the Minnesota Vikings.
All things considered, Little fared well as Trevor Lawrence's blindsided protector to finish the 2024. The expectation was that he was going to be better with a full offseason to prepare. However, the former Stanford Cardinal struggled early in the regular season and was later benched in favor of Cole Van Lanen.
The team's brass showed Little how they felt about him when they gave Van Lanen a three-year extension. But despite losing his job, he had a chance to prove he deserved to stick around when he filled in for Patrick Mekari at right guard. The Houston, Texas native flopped. Things didn't get much better when he started at left tackle in relief of Van Lanen in the playoffs. Expect the team to place him on the trade block in the offseason.
Greg Newsome, Jaguars cornerback
Just one season after the Cleveland Browns drafted cornerback Greg Newsome in 2021, rumors about him being on the trade block surrounded his career. The former Northwester Wildcat was seemingly a trade candidate each year until the Jags finally acquired him in exchange for Tyson Campbell in 2025.
Newsome routinely flashed during his stint in Cleveland and was seemingly a better fit with the Jaguars, so the expectation was that he was going to put it all together. He did and instead struggled to hit his stride. Maybe the Chicago, Illinois native can reach his potential if he's given enough time. However, it's hard to see him getting it in Jacksonville after an unremarkable 2025 season.
Dyami Brown, Jaguars wide receiver
After a strong end to 2024, Dyami Brown's stock was at an all-time high. The Jags gave him a one-year deal worth $10 million because they thought he could build off his breakout year. Early on, it looked like the bet was going to pay off as the former North Carolina Tar Heel made a positive impression.
But then, the regular season came, and Brown disappeared. He did have eight catches for 109 yards with one touchdown the first two games but progressively saw his playing time decrease to the point that he was a healthy scratch in several games.
With Jakobi Meyers becoming the receiver the Jags envisioned when they inked Brown, his odds of returning are considerably low.
Maason Smith, Jaguars defensive tackle
The Jaguars raised eyebrows when they used a second-round pick on Maason Smith. It wasn't that he wasn't talented, but rather that he dealt with several injuries at LSU that hindered his development. To nobody's surprise, the Houma, Louisiana native got off to a slow start to the season. However, he managed to get hot in the second half of his rookie campaign.
Smith was expected to keep making strides in Year 2 but dealt with an injury in training camp that forced him to miss time. When he returned, he was such a non-factor that he was inactive for several games in 2025.
At this point, giving Smith a fresh start may be the best course of action; it doesn't look like the new regime is high on him.