You have probably heard that actions speak louder than words, and if the Jacksonville Jaguars want to re-sign Devin Lloyd before free agency, they aren't tipping their hand. When teams want to keep a player, they let it be known. That hasn't been the case with the Jags and their Pro Bowl linebacker, who's set to become a free agent in March.
Speaking of the Pro Bowl, Lloyd met with reporters during the 2026 Pro Bowl games and talked about Jacksonville's interest in getting an extension done or a lack thereof.
Devin Lloyd says the Jaguars haven't begun contract negotiations
Devin Lloyd said, via Kevin Patra of NFL Media, that neither he nor his people have engaged in contract talks with the Jaguars, noting that he'd rather focus on the task at hand, the Pro Bowl. During the exchange, the former Utah Ute said that he didn't enter 2025 with a different mindset and instead sees every year as a prove-it year.
Lloyd wasn't a first-ballot Pro Bowl selection but ended up getting the nod when fellow linebacker T.J. Watt opted out. He also earned a Second-Team All-Pro designation after a banner 2025.
Jacksonville opted not to pick up Lloyd's fifth-year option on his rookie deal in 2025. It wasn't that he was bad; he just hadn't become the game-changer the Jags envisioned when they drafted him 27th overall in 2021. The Kansas City, Missouri native went on to have a banner season, registering five interceptions and showing notable improvement in coverage, arguably the biggest weakness in his game in past years.
The Jaguars may be aware that they'll lose Devin Lloyd no matter what
What's concerning about Devin Lloyd's pending free-agent status is that the Jaguars have shown the sense of urgency they had when they gave extensions to offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. Both of them were also scheduled to hit the open market in 2026 but got deals before last season ended.
Granted, deadlines spur actions, and perhaps Jacksonville will strike a deal with Lloyd before free agency starts. Heck, they may be working behind the scenes to make it happen. That said, there are no signs that's what's happening. A more likely possibility is that the Jags are aware that they won't be able to meet the veteran linebacker's contract demands and have already braced themselves for his departure.
That's not far-fetched when you take into account that Jacksonville is $13.9 million over the cap (after the league's announced increase). Couple that with the fact that Lloyd could command as much as an annual average of $16 million or $17 million per year, and it's hard to see him sticking around.
As of this writing, free agency is more than a month away. If the Jaguars are really interested in keeping Devin Lloyd, they have plenty of time to work out a deal between now and then. Then again, it may not be that deep. It's possible that they haven't initiated contract negotiations because they're going to let him walk.