The Jacksonville Jaguars realized in the offseason that they would need to make significant changes if they wanted to bounce back from an underwhelming 2024. After revamping the coaching staff and the front office, they proceeded to cut ties with several players.
On the other hand, the Jags decided to keep a handful of players around who didn't deserve to return because they may still have room for improvement, or it was not possible to move on from them for cap reasons.
With this in mind, here are five Jaguars who got another season even though they didn't do enough in 2024 to earn it.
Tyler Lacy, defensive lineman
The Jaguars' 2023 draft class looks much better than it did one year ago. After all, they didn't get much production from that year's rookie class but several players, including Tank Bigsby, Parker Washington, Brenton Strange, and Ventrell Miller. That said, Jacksonville is still waiting on Tyler Lacy.
Granted, the former Oklahoma State Cowboy was a fourth-round pick, so nobody expects him to be an All-Pro two seasons into his NFL career. Then again, he registered a measly 25 total tackles and three total pressures in his sophomore campaign despite the fact that he logged a considerable 340 defensive snaps.
The Jaguars will surely want better production from their defensive line protection, so unless Lacy makes a massive leap in training camp, he could be on his way out.
Christian Braswell, cornerback
Here's another member of the Jacksonville 2023 draft class that hasn't done much of note the past two seasons. Sure, Christian Braswell had a strong training camp last year, but it was not nearly enough to earn a spot on the initial 53-man roster. The former Rutgers standout then spent the 2024 season on and off the practice squad and ended up appearing in three games.
The Jaguars have met with several cornerback prospects ahead of the draft, so nobody will bat an eye if they use a couple of picks at the position. That won't be great news for Braswell, who signed a future contract early in the offseason but will need to once again compete for a roster spot.
Chad Muma, linebacker
Trent Baalke oversaw four drafts as the general manager of the Jags — Jaiguars, as he would call them — and the one in 2022 was arguably the least fruitful of the bunch. While Travon Walker is coming along nicely, the rest of the class has left much to be desired. Chad Muma, in particular, has done little to validate his selection that year.
Drafted two rounds after the Jags took Devin Lloyd with pick No. 27, Muma has been unable to get the most out of the chances he's gotten. Back in 2022, he replaced Lloyd in the starting lineup but would return to the sidelines not long after. The former Wyoming Cowboy once again saw the field in 2023 but failed to seize the opportunity. Since then, he's gotten minimal playing time and was passed by fellow linebacker Ventrell Miller on the depth chart.
Unless Muma puts it all together and makes a strong impression in training camp, he may not return in 2025.
Luke Fortner, center
You cannot truly call Luke Fortner a bust because he was drafted in the third round. However, he failed to meet expectations. Expected to replace veteran center Brandon Linder, the former Kentucky Wildcat went on to start 34 consecutive games but was a liability both in pass protection and the running game. He struggled so badly that Jacksonville signed Mitch Morse to replace him last year.
Fortner could've taken a step back and learned the ropes behind Morse, but instead got stuck in neutral. Had he made strides, the front office might not have signed Robert Hainsey in the offseason, but that's what ended up happening.
The one thing working in Fortner's favor is that he played for head coach Liam Coen, who'll lean on his protegee to teach his system. But even that may not be enough to help him stick around next season.
Gabe Davis, wide receiver
The past four players have been either bad or unremarkable the past two years. On the bright side, all of them remain on their rookie deals. The same cannot be said for Gabe Davis, who was both dreadful and expensive last year.
Davis signed a three-year deal worth $39 million last offseason and ended up posting career lows for catches and receiving yards in a season. On top of that, his catch rate was the worst of his career.
If the former UCF Knight were a player on his rookie deal, he would've already gotten kicked to the curb. However, the way his contract is structured makes it virtually impossible for the Jags to move on from him without incurring a massive dead cap charge.
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