After finishing 13-4 and making the playoffs in 2025, it's fair to say that expectations are at a new level for the Jacksonville Jaguars next season. Working in their favor is that hiring Liam Coen as the head coach was the right call. With him at the helm, the Jags became a gritty team that isn't going to let itself be bullied. On top of that, Trevor Lawrence is coming off a career season and should be able to take the next step.
On the other hand, there are several players entering contract years. All of them would benefit from a strong performance in 2026 to either increase their odds of sticking around or getting a long-term deal with another team next year.
And with this in mind, here are five Jaguars who are entering make-or-break seasons in 2026.
Ventrell Miller, Jaguars linebacker
It's not often that a fourth-round pick finds itself under pressure to deliver, but that's the situation Ventrell Miller finds himself in. Following the exit of Devin Lloyd in free agency, Miller will be the first in line to replace him. He'll have big shoes to fill when you take into account that Lloyd was a stud against the run and registered a team-best five interceptions in 2025.
Of course, Miller has flashed potential in the past, appearing in 15 games with nine starts in 2024. It's possible that he'll break out like Lloyd did last year, but he'll need to get the most out if chances. If not, he'll be shown the door next year.
Davon Hamilton, Jaguars defensive tackle
Davon Hamilton is the lone remaining player from the 2020 Jaguars draft class. That in itself is worth recognizing, as he's managed to become a staple of the Jacksonville defensive line. In fact, the Jags valued Ham enough back in 2023 that they gave him a three-year deal worth $34.5 million. Now, he's entering the last year of his deal. And based on the fact that the team's brass hasn't restructured his contract, the Jags may want to carry any dead money if he leaves in 2027.
Make no mistake, Hamilton excels at stymying the run but isn't much of a pass rusher. If he wants to give the team a tough decision, he'll need to improve in that area of his game, which may be tough when you take into account that he's entering the seventh season in the NFL.
Ezra Cleveland, Jaguars offensive guard
Back in 2023, left guard became a roster hole because then-general manager Trent Baalke refused to address it. He was banking on Ben Bartch to make a full recovery from a knee injury he had suffered the year prior. But when it became clear that he wasn't 100 percent, the front office traded for Ezra Cleveland midseason.
A starter with the Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland was expected to bring stability at left guard, but injuries prevented him from hitting his stride. Nevertheless, Baalke didn't hesitate to give him a new deal after 2023.
The 2024 season was more or less the same, as the former Boise State Bronco struggled to put it all together. It wasn't until he was healthy in 2025 that he showed what he could perform at a high level. Now, he'll have another chance to show that last season was a sign of things to come, and he can be the long-term solution at left guard in Jacksonville or somewhere else.
Arik Armstead, Jaguars defensive tackle
When the Jaguars signed Arik Armstead to a three-year deal worth $43.5 million in 2024, it looked like a great move. After all, he had been one of the top defensive tackles in the NFL for several years, and he would fill a void at the position. But surprisingly, the coaching staff had the 2015 first-round pick lined up on the edge, which was odd when you take into account that he was at his best on the interior.
To nobody's surprise, Armstead's first season in Duval was underwhelming. He then got off to a strong start to 2025 but cooled down considerably down the stretch. Rightly, he was dubbed a cap casualty because releasing him would create cap relief. However, the Jags plan to keep him next season and let him walk in 2027.
This means Armstead will have an opportunity to show that he still has gas left in the tank and can still help teams.
Walker Little, offensive tackle
Like Arik Armstead, Walker Little appeared to be on the chopping block early in the offseason, but it looks like the Jaguars plan to keep him as insurance while Cole Van Lanen recovers from a knee injury he suffered late in 2025.
Now, Little was underwhelming last season. He was first benched in favor of Van Lanen and later struggled when he started at right guard, so his stock isn't particularly high. Having said that, he plays left tackle and had fared well before 2025. It will be up to the former Stanford Cardinal to prove that last year was an outlier.
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