One thing became evident last year: The Jacksonville Jaguars lacked players with moxie and a feisty attitude. That's why they should be thrilled that they signed cornerback Jourdan Lewis in free agency.
Lewis caught wind of the trade that sent wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, his former team, and had a simple yet significant response:" Confirmation, God wanted me in Jacksonville."
Confirmation, God wanted me in Jacksonville. https://t.co/wvwaDROqmf
— Jourdan Lewis (@JourdanJD) May 7, 2025
This is noteworthy because Lewis showed Pickens last year that he will never back down from a fight.
Back in Week 5, the Cowboys beat Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football. Like most players in his position, Lewis celebrated his team's victory. It's fair to say that Pickens didn't take it well and yanked him down by his facemask. Of course, the new Jaguars cornerback wasn't just going to allow the controversial receiver to bully him. But before he could retaliate, the officiating crew intervened.
After the altercation, Lewis called Pickens weak and said that the Steelers needed to get a receiver. In the aftermath, both players got fined, Lewis for taunting and Pickens for grabbing his opponent's facemask.
Ultimately, Lewis got the last laugh as he limited Pickens to a measly two catches on three targets for five yards. If anything, it's easy to understand why Pickens, who often lets his emotions get the best of him, lost his cool.
Back in free agency, the Jags gave Lewis a three-year deal worth $30 million in free agency. Throughout his career, he's appeared in 115 games with 64 games and registered 10 interceptions and 44 passes defensed. At the time of the signing, general manager James Gladstone told the local media that the former Michigan cornerback brought doggedness and toughness to Jacksonville, a couple of traits the team lacked last year.
That was more or less evident when not many players, aside from cornerback Jarrian Jones, came to Trevor Lawrence's defense after Azeez Al-Shair knocked him unconscious in a bout against the Houston Texans.
Jourdan Lewis gives an elevent of toughness to the Jaguars secondary
Unfortunately, the Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars aren't slated to face off in 2025, so Jourdan Lewis will have to wait to have a shot at payback against George Pickens. Nevertheless, his reaction to the trade shows that he's relieved he won't have to be teammates with him.
And that's the thing, Pickens has been known for losing his temper and making the most baffling mental mistakes at the worst possible times. Now in Jacksonville, Lewis will have a chance to change the culture that's prevented the Jags from enjoying sustained success. That's why he responded the way he did to the trade.
George Pickens may or may not thrive with the Cowboys, but because Jourdan Lewis is now with the Jaguars, he no longer has to worry about it.