The Jacskonville Jaguars signed several players in free agency but still have enough space to add a few others. Given the amount of needs they have, this would make sense. However, general manager James Gladstone says that bringing in more veterans would be counterproductive.
The Jaguars haven't made any additions to the defensive trenches in free agency, but Gladstone explained why the last time he met with the local media.
"Yeah, we got 10 picks in this year's drafts. We're going to have to have some spots that are actually open for them to insert," Gladstone responded when asked whether the Jags would make additions to the defensive line in free agency. "If you add a veteran at this point, [he] could be just standing in the way. We're going to allow these rookies to, you know, get a chance to get out on the field and help us this coming fall."
While the Jaguars made a strong effort to beef up the offensive line, they haven't poured as many resources onto the defense. In fact, their only additions to that side of the ball were safety Eric Murray and slot cornerback Jourdan Lewis.
Below is Gladstone's full exchange with the press corps. His comments about the defensive line start at the 13:00 mark.
Related story: Grading all of the Jaguars signing in 2025 NFL Free Agency
Why the Jaguars will reinforce the D-Line until the 2024 NFL Draft
If the Jacksonville Jaguars wanted to, they could add a pass rusher in free agency. There are still a handful of options available, including but not limited to Calais Campbell, Leonard Floyd, and Dante Fowler Jr. The issue is that most of them would provide a short-term fix. That's probably why general manager James Gladstone wants to wait until the draft to round out the rotation behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. The same is true for the interior defensive line.
The Jaguars used a pair of draft picks in Jordan Jefferson and Maason Smith last year. Both of them flashed and seem poised to have a bigger impact in 2025. Moreover, Arik Armstead is switching back to defensive tackle after mostly lining up on the edge last season. With the three of them in the mix, Jacksonville isn't in immediate need to add reinforcements inside.
This begs the question, is waiting until the draft the best path to beef up the defensive line? Probably. At No. 5, the Jags will be in a position to pick Mason Graham. He's the best defensive tackle prospect in this year's class, and there's a chance he'll still be on the board when they're on the clock. As a matter of fact, Jacksonville has been linked to him throughout the process.
But if Graham is gone at No. 5 or the Jags prioritize another position, they could still find a quality defensive tackle in the later rounds. As draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah points out, this year's class has a "ridiculous amount of depth at the position."
On the other hand, there won't be nearly as many pass rushers, but the Jaguars could find a quality prospect in Rounds 3 or 4. Coincidentally, they have extra picks in both rounds. so they could easily afford to take one at that point of the draft.
The truth is that the Jaguars' 2025 NFL Free Agency class isn't flashy, but that's by design. Simply, they know that if they want to enjoy long-term success, they need to build through the draft.