The Jacksonville Jaguars took a hard look at the roster in the offseason and made some changes, cutting ties with several players who had previously been mainstay contributors. While it stung to see long-time contributors leave, the overhaul made sense when you take into account that the Jags went 4-13 in 2024 and failed to make the playoffs for the second straight year.
It's also worth noting that the front office went on to replace most of the players who left, so you cannot really tell that the team is in worse shape than it was at the end of 2024. As a matter of fact, Jacksonville won't be missing the following five players because it brought in (in most cases) someone to fill in their shoes.
Brandon Scherff, former Jaguars offensive guard
When the Jaguars gave Brandon Scherff a three-year deal worth $49.5 million in 2022, most observers shrugged it off because their offensive line was in dire need of upgrades, and paying a premium for them made sense. The one issue about the move is that the former Iowa Hawkeye hadn't played a full season since 2016, but he managed to suit up for every game during his stint in Jacksonville.
On the other hand, Scheff wasn't nearly as dominant as he was during his time with the Washington Commanders. Sure, he was a dependable starter but not the same players that earned five Pro Bowl nods earlier in his career. Not surprisingly, the Jags let him walk when he became a free agent in 2024 and remains unsigned as of this writing.
To replace Scherff, they brought in the younger Patrick Mekari. While the former California Golden Bear is far from an All-Pro at this stage of his career, he arguably has bigger upside than Scherff.
Christian Kirk, former Jaguars wide receiver
The Jaguars raised eyebrows when they gave Christian Kirk a four-year contract worth $72 million in 2022 because he had never crossed the 1,000-yard mark in his career and had reached the end zone more than five times in just one season. The former Texas A&M Aggie had a strong start to his stint in Duval, setting personal bests for catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns. However, the next two seasons weren't nearly as fruitful.
Injuries hindered Kirk's performance, and he wasn't nearly as dependable as he was in 2022. Couple that with the fact that the offense didn't skip a beat when Parker Washington took his place in the slot, and it's understandable why the Jags traded him to the Houston Texans earlier this year.
Sure, Kirk could bounce back and turn out to be a solid receiving option in Houston, but if the Jags thought he was a threat, they wouldn't have sent him to a division foe. With Washington and Travis Hunter in the mix, nobody in Duval will be shedding a tear for the veteran receiver.
Ronald Darby, former Jaguars cornerback
The Jaguars moved on from Darious Williams in 2024 because they couldn't pass up on the nearly $11 million in cap savings. Add the fact that they locked up the reliable Ronald Darby at a more affordable price, and the move made sense on paper. Unfortunately, it didn't work out in practice.
Darby had been pretty dependable throughout his career, but was a liability in Jacksonville. He struggled so badly that he was phased out in favor of the inconsistent Montaric Brown at the midpoint of the season and was a healthy scratch towards the end of it.
The team's brass ultimately cut ties with Darby and brought in Travis Hunter and Jourdan Lewis to fortify the cornerback room. Surprisingly, it didn't take the former Florida Seminole to find a new home, joining the Houston Texans not long after free agency. They should quickly find out what the Jags learned last year.
Evan Engram, former Jaguars tight end
Like Brandon Scherff and Christian Kirk, Evan Engram was part of the Jaguars' prized 2022 free-agent class. Signing a one-year deal, he turned out to be a bargain when he broke several team and personal records. To nobody's surprise, he ended up signing a massive contract extension and repaid the team's trust by having yet another career season. But then, the injury bug struck, and the former Ole Miss Rebel wasn't nearly as productive in 2024. On top of that, he missed a few games.
It was during his absence that the Jaguars gave fellow tight end Brenton Strange a chance, and he made the most out of it, registering 40 receptions for 411 yards with two touchdowns. A side effect was that he proved that he could fill in for Engram.
Then, a new regime came in, and Engram was no longer a fit, so he got his walking papers just before free agency. He quickly latched on to the Denver Broncos, and there's no doubt that he will help them. Having said that, Strange should have no trouble filling in for him.
Devin Duvernay, former Jaguars return specialist
Looking to give their special teams a spark in 2024, the Jaguars signed return specialist Devin Duvernay. An added benefit was that he proved to be a reliable receiver during his stint with the Baltimore Ravens. However, he turned out to be a massive disappointment during his lone season in Duval. Sure, he did have a few returns, but not nearly enough as the team envisioned. To make matters worse, Parker Washington made more plays with fewer opportunities.
The silver lining is that Duvernay wasn't cost-prohibitive, so moving on from him wasn't a tough decision. If Washington doesn't get a featured role on offense, there's a strong chance he'll take on return duties, so the Jags could turn out to be better off at the end.