Andre Cisco and 4 other prominent Jaguars who may not return in 2025

The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the worst teams in the NFL and will surely undergo significant change in the upcoming months. In addition to potentially dismissing head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, they'll also give the roster a makeover.

While the new regime will have several foundational pieces to work with, there's also a strong chance they'll move on from several notable players for either cap reasons or because they could use upgrades.

Either way, these five players may not be back in Jacksonville in 2025.

Devin Duvernay, return specialist

Looking to replace Jamal Agnew, the Jags gave Devin Duvernay a two-year deal worth $8.5 million in free agency. The acquisition looked great at the time. After all, the former Texas Longhorn had earned two Pro Bowl designation as a returner while contributing as a receiver during his four-year stint with the Baltimore Ravens.

While Duvernay has provided a spark to the return game, Jacksonville could release him in 2025 to free up $2.85 million in space with $1.2 million in dead money. This looks like a reasonable action when you take into account that the Jags have Keilan Robinson and Parker Washington in the fold.

Robinson excelled as a return at the collegiate level and Washington has proven to be a dynamic return this season. Both of them could step in Duvernay's place next year and the return game wouldn't suffer a decline.

Brandon Scherff, right guard

The Jaguars had several glaring holes in 2022 and spared no expense to address many of them in free agency. To bolster the offensive line, the front office signed right guard Brandon Scherff. The former Iowa Hawkeye was a five-time Pro Bowl nod, so he was a welcome addition in the trenches.

One of Scherff's biggest red flags was that he hadn't played a full season since 2016 but didn't miss a single game in his first two years with the Jags. Although he wasn't nearly as dominant as he was with the Washington Commanders, he most definitely brought stability at right guard.

Heading into 2023, Scherff looked like a potential cap casualty, but Jacksonville chose to restructure his contract to ensure he stayed. He's now set to become a free agency next year, and there's a chance he won't return. The biggest reason is that he will be 33. Although the Iowa native is still a dependable starter, the Jags might want to get younger at right guard.

Christian Kirk, wide receiver

Like Brandon Scherff, Christian Kirk was part of the Jaguars' 2022 free-agent class that played a huge role in their playoff run that year. Before landing in Jacksonville, the former Texas A&M native hadn't had 1,000 yards in a season. For this reason, Trent Baalke raised eyebrows when he gave him a top-market contract.

Kirk quickly silenced his doubters, crossing the 1,000-yard market and setting a new career best for catches in a season during his first year with the Jaguars. He was on pace to have another 1,000-season in 2023 but a core injury forced him to sit out the last four games.

Looking to bounce back in 2024, the Arizona native once again suffered a season-ending injury. He'll be entering a contract year in 2025 and is a good bet to leave. Heck, he would have left before the November trade deadline if he hadn't gotten hurt.

The Jags were working on a trade to send him to the Pittsburgh Steelers before the injury. Next season, he will probably be a cap casualty, as the team could free up $10.7 million in space with $13.6 million in dead money. Add the fact that Jacksonville has a potential replacement in Parker Washington, and he probably won't return in 2025.

Walker Little, left tackle

Having waited for more than three years, Walker Little at last got his chance to prove what he can bring to the left tackle position when the Jaguars traded Cam Robinson to the Minnesota Vikings.

Although Little, a second-round selection in 2021, had flashed whenever he filled in for Robinson, the team's brass waited until the last year of his rookie deal to give him a full-time role.

So far, the former Stanford Cardinal has made the most of his opportunity, giving up just six total pressures and one sack the past five games. Re-signing him should be one of the team's priorities but he may also want to test free agency. If he does hit the open market, he will have no shortage of suitors due to the demand for left tackles in the NFL.

Andre Cisco, safety

Andre Cisco spent most of his rookie season on the sidelines, but once he joined the starting lineup, he wasted no time showcasing the ballhawk skills that made him a staple of the Syracuse defense. During 2022-2023, the former Orangeman had a team-best seven interceptions and 15 passes defensed.

Heading into 2024, Cisco was seen as a potential breakout candidate. However, he hasn't been able to make a leap. While he hasn't been dreadful, the Queens, New York native has been inconsistent in the last year of his rookie year. That won't do him any favors in free agency next year.

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