While the Jacksonville Jaguars had a great regular season, they didn't have the juice needed to make a deep run in the playoffs. The team wasn't able to slow down Josh Allen and lacked the offensive firepower needed to make a play when the game was on the line.
Because of this, a lot of fans would argue that the Jags should be as aggressive as possible during the free agency period. The front office's boldness could be dedicated to re-signing internal targets like Devin Lloyd or making a play for any of the offensive linemen ending their tenures with the Cleveland Browns.
However, there is one high-profile free agent that Jacksonville should stay away from at all costs. If they don't, the transaction could set the franchise's locker room culture back for years.
Tyreek Hill should be on the Jacksonville Jaguars' Do Not Call list
The Miami Dolphins made a ton of roster moves to give their new general manager and head coach the resources they need to shape the team in their own image. Tyreek Hill's official release was one of the proceedings on the tally, and the decision instantly made him one of the most intriguing prospects on the open market.
Tyreek Hill was released by the Dolphins. With another surgery still ahead, he’s unlikely to return until late this season, and it’s possible he won’t be back until next year. This type of injury, given his style of play, falls into the career-threatening category. pic.twitter.com/TENQpxgoBH
— David J. Chao - ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) February 17, 2026
The five-time All-Pro suffered a gruesome season-ending injury in Week 4 of the 2025 season. Since then, medical experts have speculated on how long the prolific wide receiver could be out of action.
Dr. David J. Chao, also known as the Pro Football Doc, tweeted out that Hill's injury could be "career-threatening" due to his play style. To make matters worse, the one-time Super Bowl Champion has to undergo another surgery before he can make a full recovery.
This analysis shows that, even in the best case, Hill won't be able to suit up for whoever he signs with until the latter portion of the regular season. Unfortunately, the West Alabama alum's cap hit and signing bonus would hit the Jaguars right where it hurts for the entire year whether he takes a snap or not.
As it stands, Jacksonville has Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Jakobi Meyers as the top members of its wide receiver room. In a pinch, Travis Hunter can hit the field and catch some passes, too, despite the recent announcement that he'll be playing cornerback full-time.
If all four players are present on the Jaguars' opening day roster in September, where would Hill fit in? Brenton Strange is likely to remain the team's TE1, so he'll be taking the field most of the time as well. We also can't forget that the Jags have an entire draft coming up, so there's a chance they could draft a depth guy in the later rounds to avoid getting burnt like they did after signing Dyami Brown in free agency last year.
Even with a cap casualty or two, there's not a lot of room on the roster for a huge short-term contract either way. The Jaguars need a big-time corner to play alongside Travis Hunter since Jourdan Lewis and Jarrian Jones are better suited for the slot. Jacksonville also needs to find an interior pass rusher to push the pocket whichever way they can.
So, if James Gladstone considered all of this himself and decided to look elsewhere for an explosive difference-maker, it would be for the best.