Early in the offseason, it looked like the Jacksonville Jaguars could cut ties with Arik Armstead. After all, he got off to a strong start in 2025 but slowed down as the season progressed. Moreover, releasing him would free up a bit over $14 million. However, the former Oregon Duck remains in Duval, and it doesn't look like he's going anywhere this year.
Nevertheless, several NFL analysts suggest that Armstead could be a cap casualty come cutdown day. And if he were available, the Giants would be a logical fit for the veteran defensive lineman.
The Giants would love to see the Jaguars release Arik Armstead
Zachary Rotman of Fansided included Arik Armstead on a list of five prominent NFL players who may be on the chopping block. He argues that the veteran defensive lineman could be available if Ruke Orhorhoro shows out in the preseason.
The issue is that even if Orhorhoro made a strong impression, there are no signs Jacksonville would move on from Armstead. In fact, he may be their best defensive tackle right now, and moving on from him would create an unexpected void in the trenches.
Sure, Armstead didn't record a single sack in the last seven games of the 2026 season. At first sight, that's a reason for concern, but the truth is that a hand injury slowed him down. The Sacramento, California native is back at 100 percent and should once again wreak havoc at the line of scrimmage.
Aside from Rotman, Matt Sidney of GMenHQ thinks the New York Giants shouldn't hesitate to target Armstead if he were available. There's no doubt that he would give their defensive line a massive boost after the Dexter Lawrence trade.
But again, Sidney is working with the assumption that Jacksonville is going to move on frm Armstead on cutdown day. Can it happen? There's always a chance, but the odds appear to be absurdly low as of this writing.
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Why the Jaguars are tentatively keeping Arik Armstead?
Leaving aside that Arik Armstead is the best defensive tackle on the roster, the Jaguars don't have an immediate replacement for him right now. Ruke Orhorhoro could be that guy as the season progresses but has his work cut out for him. Albert Regis, Matt Dickerson, and DaVon Hamilton excel at stuffing the run but don't bring much juice to the pass rush.
On top of that, the Jags aren't hurting for cap space. Sure, they could use whatever savings they get from releasing Armstead to re-sign Parker Washington, but they could still do it even if they cut him. Moreover, the current regime isn't known for penny-pinching.
The best course of action is to keep Arik Armstead in 2026, even if the Giants would love to land him. He fills a need and can build his stock, so he can cash in next year when he becomes a free agent.
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