Aside from the Chris Rodriguez signing, the Jacksonville Jaguars mostly sat out free agency, focusing instead on bringing back their own player. The approach made sense because they didn't have much cap space. On top of that, the dearth of external acquisitions allowed the Jags to garner compensatory picks. Having said that, they're beginning to get busy in the aftermath of the NFL Draft.
Just a day after rookie minicamp, Jacksonville signed running back Ameer Abdullah, who's been a viable pass-catcher in all his previous stops. His arrival won't send shockwaves across the league, but it may shed light on the regime's plans to involve their running backs in their passing game.
The truth is that Abdullah may be a long shot to make the team, but it doesn't hurt the Jaguars to look for ways to bolster the roster. In fact, they should continue addressing other position groups. In particular, general manager James Gladstone should turn his attention to the pass rush.
The Jaguars must fortify the pass rush after inking Ameer Abdullah
After trading for defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro one week before the NFL Draft, the pass rush appeared to be the biggest priority for the Jaguars. However, they didn't address it until they took Wesley Williams and later Zach Durfee in Rounds 4 and 7, respectively.
Both Williams and Durfee could turn out to be solid contributors. Heck, the latter got the Project X moniker because he flew under the radar during the draft process. Having said that, it may be a while before either one hits his stride. This is where it might have come in handy for Jacksonville to bring in a veteran pass rusher to round out their rotation behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
On the other hand, sophomores Danny Striggow and B.J. Green II flashed potential last year, but neither has shown enough to make you think that they could be the No. 3 pass rusher Jacksonville was missing in 2025.
The good news is that it may not be too late for the Jaguars to add a proven veteran to round out their pass rush.
The Jaguars could sign Jadeveon Clowney or Cameron Jordan after the NFL Draft
After the draft, any signings teams make will no longer count toward the compensatory pick formula. Couple that with the fact that the Jaguars have a bit over $10 million in space — they could free up even more by releasing one or two veterans — and bringing in a veteran pass rusher would be a realistic possibility.
Cameron Jordan and Jadeveon Clowney remain unsigned after the draft. The former tallied 10.5 sacks with the New Orleans Saints last year, while the latter had eight for the Dallas Cowboys. Both of them remain productive, so either one could immediately step into the No. 3 role alongside Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
The downside of signing either Jordan or Clowney is that it could potentially hinder the development of Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee. On the other hand, Jacksonville would at last address its biggest roster void.
The Jaguars have caught a lot of heat for their lack of bold swings in the offseason. They could change the narrative by adding a big name to fix the pass rush.
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