Former general manager Dave Caldwell's stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars was marred with baffling decisions. One of the worst ones probably was picking Taven Bryan over Lamar Jackson in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
While hindsight is 20/20, the Jags were in need of upgrades behind center at the time, with Blake Bortles at the helm. But instead of the best passer available at that moment, Caldwell chose to fortify the defensive trenches. Fast forward to 2025, and Jackson is one of the top quarterbacks in the league, while Bryan's career is hanging by a thread.
Just days before the Jaguars are set to begin training camp, the Cincinnati Bengals announced that Bryan was one of many players they signed in light of the Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart holdouts.
Bryan could provide depth on the interior defensive line but not much else. The 29th overall selection in 2018 spent his first four NFL seasons in Jacksonville, appearing in 63 games with 17 starts and registering 5.5 sacks. He then played one uneventful campaign for the Cleveland Browns before spending the past two years with the Indianapolis Colts.
Now with the Bengals, Bryan won't be given a roster spot. He'll need to prove in training camp and the preseason that he deserves to make the team. The former Florida Gator is joining a group that includes T.J. Slaton, B.J. Hill, McKinnley Jackson, and Kris Jenkins Jr.
Given that Hill is dealing with a previously unknown foot injury and may not be at full strength at training camp, Bryan may just have a shot to stick around.
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The Jaguars dropped the ball when they drafted Taven Bryan
Not every first-round selection will turn into a perennial All-Pro nod, but there's no denying that Taven Bryan failed to live up to expectations during his tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars. On the other hand, he's managed to carve a niche as a rotational piece on the defensive line. When you take into account that the average NFL career only lasts three seasons, he's most definitely done better than plenty of his peers.
Having said that, the Jags didn't envision Bryan turning into a career backup. They wanted him to fortify what was at the time an already stout defensive line that included the likes of Yannick Ngakoue and Calais Campbell. Unfortunately, that didn't turn out to be the case.
Now, Taven Bryan will try to keep his pro career going with the Bengals. Whether he pulls it off remains to be seen.