One of the reasons the Jacksonville Jaguars sat out free agency was that they barely had any cap space. Heck, they were more than $13 million over the cap and had to restructure a few deals to get relief. While the Jags are in better shape ahead of the draft, they could still make a few moves to get further relief. One that has often been brought up is either trading or releasing Arik Armstead.
Back in 2024, Armstead signed a three-year deal worth $43.5 million. At the time, bringing him in made sense because defensive tackle was a need, and he had been highly productive during his stint with the San Francisco 49ers. However, things haven't played out the way Jacksonville expected, and the former Oregon Duck has just been dubbed a cut candidate.
The Jaguars are being urged to cut ties with Arik Armstead
Moe Moton drew up a list of 10 notable players who could be cut or traded after the 2026 NFL Draft. He included Arik Armstead, pointing out that there may no longer be room in Jacksonville for him because his production is declining. Here's the skinny.
"The Jaguars will either restructure Armstead's contract to lower his salary for the current season or release him outright," Moton wrote. "General manager James Gladstone has a young ascending squad with little room for aging veterans whose production is trending in the wrong direction."
Moton continued, "At this stage in his career, Armstead doesn't have much trade value, so he's a strong post-draft cut candidate if the Jaguars add a defensive tackle with one of their four top-100 picks."
Even though Armstead is at his best when he lines up inside, the Jaguars made the baffling decision to have him play defensive end in 2024. To nobody's surprise, he wasn't nearly as effective. The Sacramento, California native switched back to his more familiar defensive tackle spot and was more productive, registering 5.5 sacks. The issue is that he slowed down the stretch and didn't register a single sack in the last six games.
Couple that with the fact that making Armstead a post-June 1 cut would create $14.4 million in space — with $4 million in dead money in 2026 and $12 million next year, and it's easy to see why Jacksonville could cut ties with him.
Why the Jaguars may keep Arik Armstead in 2026
The Jaguars could use cap relief, and they could get it by releasing Arik Armstead. However, they would have to carry $12 million in dead money next year, which the team's brass may not be thrilled about. In fact, Mia O'Brien of ESPN Radio suggested that Jacksonville will just hold on to him next season and let him walk in free agency in 2027. That would serve two purposes.
For starters, Jacksonville doesn't have anyone else at defensive tackle. DaVon Hamilton is a stud against the run but doesn't offer much in the pass-rush department. Maason Smith is coming off a disappointing season, and Matt Dickerson is not more than a rotational piece. Of course, that could change in the draft if the Jags bring in a couple bigs.
But even if the Jaguars draft one or two defensive tackles, they may not be ready right away, so it would make sense to keep Armstead as insurance and a mentor to his younger counterpart. For his part, he may be incentivize to put together a solid campaign in a contract year to show any potential suitors in 2027 that he still has a bit of football left on him.
The Jaguars could definitely cut ties with Armstead, but there's an equal chance he'll stick around in 2027 and help them defend their AFC South championship.
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