After finishing 4-13 in 2024, it was clear that the Jacksonville Jaguars needed to infuse the roster with depth and talent. To do the job, they hired James Gladstone as the general manager. Right away, he didn't hesitate to cut ties with players who didn't fit his vision.
Gladstone then proceeded to fill the roster with intangibly players in the offseason. He's since continued to make moves throughout the year to address needs. Then again, not all the moves he's made have panned out, and the Jags still have several players, a few inherited from the past regime, who haven't met expectations.
With this in mind, here are five Jaguars players who should be thankful they haven't gotten the axe.
Chuma Edoga, offensive lineman
When the Jags signed Chuma Edoga, they thought they were adding a valuable backup piece on the offensive line. Early on, that seemed to be the case. The former USC Trojan showed out in the offseason, even sharing first-team reps at right tackle with Anton Harrison.
But then, Edoga was pressed into action in the regular season and came crashing down. Although he hasn't logged many snaps, he's struggled when he's gotten playing time. His five penalties, in particular, are a reason for concern when you take into account that he's played just 89 offensive snaps. Meanwhile, fellow hog molly Cole Van Lanen has thrived while lining up at different spots across the offensive line.
Although Edoga signed a two-year deal with the Jags, nobody will bat an eye if he's kicked to the curb in 2026.
Andrew Wingard, safety
Let's get it out of the way: Andrew Wingard is tough and a fan favorite. Nobody will deny it. No. 42 has been through several rebuilds and dealt with his fair share of adversity. Moreover, he's exceeded expectations after going undrafted in 2019 and working his way up the depth chart. Having said that, Dewey is a limited athlete, and opposing teams haven't been afraid to target him when facing the Jaguars.
Wingard will always give his all, which is why he was named the starter in 2024. However, he's reached his ceiling and is better suited for a backup role and special teams play. You could even make the case that the only reason the former Wyoming Cowboy has a feature role is because the Jags don't have anyone else.
The plan was to start rookie Caleb Ransaw at safety, but he suffered a season-ending injury and won't be back until next year. That paved the way for Wingard to seize the starting job. However, he's slated to become a free agent, and his future in Duval is in the air.
Cody Schrader, running back
The Jaguars have enviable depth at running back. Heck, they no longer had room for Tank Bigsby, who showed playmaking skills in 2024, and traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles once the regular season started.
But even without Bigsby, the Jaguars have a talented trio in Travis Etienne, Bhayshul Tuten, and LeQuint Allen. That's great for the team's renewed emphasis on running the ball, but not so good for Cody Schrader, who hasn't done anything of note this season.
Granted, the only reason Schroder hasn't gotten playing time is that Jacksonville's backfield is stacked, but if he brought something to the table, the coaching staff would find a way to get him onto the field like it does with Allen, a seventh-round pick in this year's draft. That hasn't been the case.
Emmanuel Ogbah, Jaguars defensive end
The Jaguars didn't make a meaningful effort early in the offseason to bolster their pass rush behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. It wasn't until the aftermath of the NFL Draft that they locked up Emmanuel Ogbah. On paper, the signing made sense because the Oklahoma State product had success bringing the heat in all his previous stops. However, he's been a non-factor in Jacksonville.
Obgah has yet to register a sack this season and has logged just 14 total pressures thus far. In recent weeks, he's been phased out in favor of rookies Danny Striggow and B.J. Green II. In fact, the 10-year veteran was made a healthy scratch in a game may only get playing more time moving forward because Striggow is dealing with a knee injury.
Dyami Brown, Jaguars receiver
Although Dyami Brown was mostly unremarkable early in his NFL career, he turned the corner in 2024, becoming a key cog for the Washington Commanders in their playoff run. He made the most out of his sudden surge when he inked a $10 million deal with the Jaguars in free agency.
The expectation was that Brown was going to build off of his strong finish to 2024 and turn into a difference-maker in Jacksonville. Early on, it seemed like he was going to exceed expectations. Aside from standing out in the offseason, the former North Carolina Tar Heel got off to a hot start to the season, hauling in eight receptions for 109 yards with a touchdown the first two games. However, things quickly went sideways.
After the first two weeks, Brown has been a non-factor. A shoulder injury didn't help matters, but his underwhelming play has led to a dip in playing time. Then, Jacksonville traded for Jakobi Meyers at the deadline, and the 2021 third-round pick has become an afterthought on offense. Nobody will bat an eye if he's one and done with the Jags.