The Jacksonville Jaguars did a good job of locking up several players in the offseason, giving new deals to cornerback Montaric Brown, long snapper Ross Matiscik, tight end Brenton Strange, and defensive end Travon Walker. That said, they're a handful of players entering contract years who have yet to get an extension.
Now, the Jags won't be able to keep everyone, but these extension candidates will need to show out in the regular season if they want to cash in big.
With this in mind, here are five players who will need to come through in 2026 if they want to get new deals.
5 Jaguars who must prove they deserve an extension
Ezra Cleveland, offensive guard
The Jags traded for Ezra Cleveland in 2023 because they had a massive void at left guard. Although the former Boise State Bronco dealt with injuries and wasn't able to find his stride early in his stint in Duval, he put it all together in 2025,
Cleveland mostly played left guard the past five seasons but moved to the right side in training camp. He lined up there as a rookie, so the switch may not end up affecting his performance. Either way, he'll need to prove he deserves a new deal.
Antonio Johnson, safety
Pro Football Focus ranked Antonio Johnson as the top safety in 2025. Yet, he landed at No. 13 in their latest ranking, which is odd. How can he be the highest-graded safety but pop up outside of their top 10? Anyway, the former Texas A&M Aggie was one of Jacksonville's top defenders last season and is far from a one-year wonder.
Johnson had an underwhelming 2024 but flashed potential as a rookie, registering two interceptions and one forced fumble in a limited role. He's entering his second year under defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, so he should have no trouble having a banner season in 2026.
It doesn't seem like Johnson is in the team's plans. But by the end of the year, he will have proven that he deserves a pay bump.
Parker Washington, wide receiver
Of all the players on this list, Parker Washington is the most deserving of a new deal, having registered 58 receptions for 807 yards with five touchdowns last year. Couple that with the fact that he appears to be WR1 on the depth chart, and it's easy to see why No. 11 wants to have a deal that reflects his role on offense.
Washington and the Jags are rumored to be $10 million apart in compensation, but they'd better compromise. Otherwise, he'll have no choice but to bet on himself in 2026 and leave no doubt he deserves what he's asking for.
Ventrell Miller, linebacker
When the Jaguars let Devin Lloyd walk, they were confident that Ventrell Miller was going to step in his place. However, Branson Combs suddenly emerged in the offseason to challenge him for the starting job next to Foyesade Oluokun. In the end, neither Combs nor Miller was able to do enough to win the job, so they'll split time to start the season.
It's possible that either Combs or Miller gets the starting job full-time as the season progresses, so Miller will have an opportunity to earn a deal with the Jags or somewhere else. At this moment, though, he hasn't done enough.
DaVon Hamilton, defensive tackle
Both Arik Armstead and DaVon Hamilton are entering contract seasons, and it's hard to see the Jaguars bring both of them. Armstead is healthy after dealing with a hand injury last year. He's the team's best interior pass rusher, so he'll probably go with the highest bidder in free agency. On the other hand, Ham excels at stuffing the run but isn't that great at bringing the heat.
Hamilton played a key role in helping the Jags field the best run defense last year. They probably won't want to change that, so the veteran nose tackle will have a prime opportunity to show he should stick around beyond 2026.
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