After addressing several needs in free agency, the Jacksonville Jaguars entered the 2025 NFL Draft with a clear goal: Raise the team's ceiling. One look at their haul will show that they accomplished it. That said, there are a handful of position groups that they could still fortify. One of them is defensive tackle, and the perfect free agent may just be waiting for them to give them a call.
The Indianapolis Colts released defensive tackle Raekwon Davis before the start of free agency to free up $6.5 million in space. A second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2020, he originally signed a two-year deal last offseason to beef up their defensive trenches. However, he came up short, registering a measly 15 tackles and no sacks even though he suited up for all 17 games.
A second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2020, Davis has been a rotational piece throughout his career, and that's the role he would fill in Jacksonville. Given that he's coming off a disappointing season, signing him wouldn't be cost-prohibitive. In fact, the Alabama product would benefit from a one-year, prove-it deal that would allow him to show teams that last year was an outlier rather than the norm.
How could Raekwon Davis help the Jaguars after the draft?
The Jacksonville Jaguars didn't add reinforcements at defensive tackle in free agency because they wanted to wait until the draft to properly address the position. But the draft came and went, and the Jags didn't take care of it. That was mostly due to the fact that the front office didn't want to reach for a need. However, they showed that they won't neglect it when they signed veteran Emmanuel Ogbah, who will round out their pass rush rotation.
Ogbah will be a fine No. 3 behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, but the Jags should also consider fortifying their interior defensive line. Maason Graham flashed late in his rookie season, and Arik Armstead will switch back to defensive tackle after mostly playing on the edge last year. That said, the depth behind them is suspect, with Davon Hamilton coming off an underwhelming season.
Signing Davis would add competition at defensive tackle and give the Jaguars insurance in case Hamilton is unable to bounce back.
The bottom line is that the Jaguars roster doesn't appear to have many glaring weaknesses right now, but that shouldn't deter them from adding depth pieces like Raekwon Davis in the upcoming months