Unlike past years, the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't go on a spending spree on Day 1 of the legal tampering period this time around. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as their roster is in better shape than it's been in the past. Moreover, the Jags couldn't make many splash signings because they're dealing with cap constraints.
But despite their lack of space, Jacksonville still made a couple of signings. On the other hand, running back Travis Etienne bolted for the New Orleans Saints. Losing him will be a blow to the defense.
The silver lining is that there's still plenty of time for general manager James Gladstone to make a few signings. With this in mind, here are the biggest winners and losers from Day 1 of the legal tampering period.
Jaguars winners No. 1: Anthony Campanile
While Devin Lloyd bolted for the Carolina Panthers, the Jags were able to re-sign cornerback Montaric Brown and linebacker Dennis Gardeck, ensuring that Anthony Campanile has lots of talent to work with in 2026.
Even if cornerback Greg Newsome and safety Andrew Wingard leave in free agency, Campanile will still have most of his unit from last year nearly intact.
Couple that with the fact that two-way star Travis Hunter will tentatively play corner full-time next year, and it's easy to see the Jags fielding a more dominant defense in 2026.
Jaguars loser No. 1: Trevor Lawrence
Trevor Lawrence popped up on this list because he lost long-time teammate Travis Etienne. Their friendship goes back to the 2018 Clemson championship year. When you take into account that NFL teams experience substantial turnover on a consistent basis, that's plenty of time.
On top of that, Etienne routinely took pressure off Lawrence's shoulders, as he was a pivotal piece of the Jacksonville offense. However, all good things must come to an end, and the Jennings, Louisiana native is going home after signing a four-year dealJaguars worth $52 million with the New Orleans Saints.
Jaguars winner No. 2: Bhayshul Tuten
Following the draft, a report surfaced that the Jaguars weren't sold on Travis Etienne, which is why they drafted Bhayshul Tuten to begin with. But despite the noise, Etienne got to work and ended up seizing the RB1 job.
The 2021 first-round pick ended up racking up 1,399 yards from scrimmage with a career-best 13 total touchdowns. Following his bounce-back season, he got a big payday from the Saints. With him gone, Bhayshul Tuten has a prime opportunity to become the unquestioned starter in the Jacksonville backfield.
Even if the coaching staff brings in competition, Tuten has the skills to come out on top. Expect him to do just that.
Jaguars loser No. 2: Brian Thomas Jr.
Despite the fact that Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports said that he would be shocked if the Jags traded Brian Thomas Jr., Connor Hughes of SNYTV reported that Jacksonville and the New York Giants have resumed talks involving the 2024 first-round pick after they broke down at the deadline last year.
It's worth noting that head coach Liam Coen said that Thomas is 100 percent part of the team's plans. However, the traded speculation doesn't seem to go away.
Sure, Thomas is coming off a down season, but he's shown big-play capability. Moreover, he's still playing on his rookie contract and has cap hits of less than $5 million the next two years. Simply put, it makes sense for the Jags to keep him around, but teams continue to pursue him. One may end up making an offer too good to pass up.