Revamping the offensive line is a major priority for the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason, and it was accentuated when veteran Mitch Morse announced his retirement. The good news is that they'll have no shortage of alternatives to beef up the offensive trenches in free agency. The bad news? They have one fewer option thanks to the Chicago Bears.
Not long after the legal tampering period began, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Bears signed Drew Dalman to a three-year deal worth $42 million with $28 million guaranteed.
Dalman is now the second highest-paid center in the NFL behind Creed Humphrey, who's getting an annual average of $18 million.
Chicago has made a strong effort to revamp their offensive line this offseason, so the news that they paid a premium for Dalman doesn't come as a surprise.
You could make the case that the Bears were so desperate to upgrade their offensive line that they didn't mind paying a premium for Dalman, but based on his past production, they should be getting plenty of bang for their buck.
A fourth-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2021, Dalman has appeared in 57 games with 40 starts throughout his NFL career. Last year, he gave up just one sack and 11 pressures while posting a Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade of 79.8.
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What's next for the Jaguars after losing out on Drew Dalman?
Drew Dalman was the best center in this year's free-agent class, and the dropoff from him to Ryan Kelly, the second-best option at the position, is noticeable. Maybe the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't want to get into a bidding war for Dalman, so they opted to pass on him.
It's early in the process, but based on how the Jags have operated thus far, it looks like they won't overspend or make a splash signing. Carlton Davis and D.J. Reed are getting top-market contracts, but Jacksonville opted to give nickel Jourdan Lewis a three-year deal worth $30 million with $20 million.
Granted, not more than two hours have passed as of this writing since the beginning of the tampering period, so you cannot truly say that the Jags "aren't doing anything." It's possible that they are already working on deals behind the scenes and should announce a couple moves in the upcoming hours.
Sure, losing out on Drew Dalman stings, but they could look for a replacement for Mitch Morse in the draft. Moreover, there's a chance they opt to add a right guard in free agency, and if they do, would it matter that they didn't make a run for Dalman?
And that's the thing, center is far from the Jaguars' major need. Even after signing Lewis, cornerback remains a priority. Ditto the wide receiver corps, safety, and the interior offensive line. If they take care of any of those positions in the upcoming days, it won't matter that they didn't target Dalman, regardless of how much he could've helped them.
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