As impressive as the Jacksonville Jaguars were in 2025, they were far from perfect. Then again, head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone just arrived last year, and it was always going to take them more than one offseason to put together a championship-caliber roster. On the other hand, the cupboard wasn't fully bare.
The Jags had plenty of talent to work with in 2025, and several players either bounced back or broke out last year. That said, a few others left a bit (or in some cases, much) to be desired.
With this in mind, here are five players who failed to live up to expectations with Jacksonville last year.
Maason Smith, Jaguars defensive tackle
Let's get this one out of the way from the get-go. Maason Smith was an intriguing talent coming out of LSU, which is why Trent Baalke didn't think twice about drafting him in the second round in 2024. Unfortunately, the Houma, Louisiana native left much to be desired early in his rookie campaign.
Smith was a healthy scratch as a rookie and failed to crack the rotation at defensive tackle. The silver lining is that he finished the season strong. This, in turn, gave the team a huge reason for optimism entering Year 2. But once again, it wasn't meant to be.
In training camp, Smith dealt with an injury that forced him to miss significant time. Then, the regular season came, and he didn't do much of note. What makes him look even worse is that the Jags needed help on the interior defensive line. That he wasn't thrust into action even then speaks loudly about the team's lack of confidence in him.
Maybe Smith can put it all together in Year 3, but there's also a chance the Jaguars run out of patience and move up from him.
Dyami Brown, Jaguars receiver
Following the 2024 season, it was clear the Jaguars needed help at receiver in spite of Brian Thomas Jr.'s ascension. They ended up giving Dyami Brown a one-year, prove-it deal. At the time, the signing made sense because the former North Carolina Tar Heel didn't do much of note during his first three seasons with the Washington Commanders but played a huge role in their playoff run.
The early signs of Brown's stint in Jacksonville. He made a strong impression in Organized Team Activities and later in the preseason. He also got off to a strong start to the 2025 season, registering eight catches for 109 yards with one touchdown the first two games. But the veteran wideout wasn't able to maintain the pace and cooled down considerably down the stretch.
By the second half of the season, Brown was an afterthought on the Jacksonville offense. In fact, he was a healthy scratch in several games. The Charlotte, North Carolina native will become a free agent once again, but he probably won't break the bank after his underwhelming 2025 with th eJags.
Greg Newsome, Jaguars cornerback
Tyson Campbell played like a top-10 cornerback in 2022. However, his stock plummeted after a pair of injury-marred seasons. The expectation was that he was going to stay healthy in 2025 and bounce back. The Plantation, Florida native did manage to avoid the injury bug, but he underperformed, so the team's brass didn't hesitate to trade him in return for Greg Newsome.
The Jags thought Newsome could potentially be an upgrade over Campbell, but he wasn't. The former Northwestern Wildcat routinely got burnt and never truly looked comfortable during his brief stint in Duval. While he would like to return to take care of unfinished business, he's scheduled to hit the open market. It's hard to see the Jags re-signing him.
Walker Little, Jaguars left tackle
A second-round pick in 2021, Walke Little flashed potential early in his career but didn't get a starting job because he was stuck behind Cam Robinson. It wasn't until 2024 that the Jaguars traded Robinson, and Little got to start. The former Stanford Cardinal was Trevor Lawrence's blindside protector the rest of the season and more than held his own.
Maybe that's why the team's brass didn't bring in anyone to compete with him last year. Sure, the Jags signed former Philadelphia Eagles left tackle Fred Johnson, but he was a backup-level player, not a real threat to Little. The decision backfired.
Little was the Week 1 starter at left tackle in 2025. Early on, it was clear that he was outmatched. The Houston, Texas native struggled so badly that he was eventually benched in favor of Cole Van Lanen. He got a chance to prove himself at right guard late in the season, but he was once again unremarkable.
With Van Lanen getting an extension, the Jags may no longer have a need for Walker, so don't be surprised if he lands on the trade block.
Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars receiver
This one definitely stings. After an impressive rookie campaign, it looked like Brian Thomas Jr. was ready to join the top echelon of NFL receivers. However, he took a step back (or several) instead. Early in the season, the 2024 first-round pick struggled with drops. He later suffered an ankle injury that forced him to miss three games. Compounding the issue is that Jacksonville traded for Jakobi Meyers at the deadline.
Meyers immediately gave Tervor Lawrence a trusted target, and Thomas was relegated to a complementary role. He ended up hauling in 48 receptions for 707 yards with two touchdowns. That's not necessarily a bad statline, but there was a notable drop-off from his electric rookie campaign.
With Meyers, Parker, Washington, and Travis Hunter in the mix, Thomas' future in Jacksonville has been in doubt, and to nobody's surprise, he's been the subject of trade chatter this offseason.
The good news is that Thomas is just entering his third NFL season, so regardless of where he plays in 2026, he'll have a prime opportunity to bounce back.