Jaguars re-sign another defensive mainstay after extending Montaric Brown

Just hours before the tampering period was set to start, the Jacksonville Jaguars began to re-sign their own players. First, cornerback Montaric Brown was the first to get a new deal, agreeing to a three-year contract that pays him $33 million. That was just the beginning, though.

Not long after securing Brown, the Jags have locked up another integral cog that ensures defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile will have plenty of firepower to work with in 2026.

The Jaguars re-signed Dennis Gardeck after extending Montaric Brown

The Jaguars announced on social media that they've agreed to terms with Anthony Campanile. Just minutes later, Michael DiRocco of ESPN confirmed the move just a few minutes later.

After re-signing Gardeck, Jacksonville posted a clip of his highlights on social media.

The team also made the Sioux Falls product available to the press after reaching a new deal. Here's the video.

An undrafted free agent in 2018, Gardeck signed with the Arizona Cardinals, where he spent eight seasons. Early in his stint in the desert, he mostly contributed on special teams but began to see an uptick in playing time once he showed pass-rush capabilities.

From 2020 to 2024, Gardeck amassed 19.5 sacks. He was having another productive season in 2024 before tearing his ACL. The Lake in the Hills, Illinois native was shown the door last year and had to wait a few months before the Jags swooped in and signed him. Some of that was due to the fact that he was still recovering from the ACL injury.

In fact, Gardeck continued his recovery even after joining the Jags. Their patience paid off, as he went on to become a core contributor, logging 49 percent of the team's total snaps on defense and registering 2.5 sacks.

With Devin Lloyd slated to test free agency, it's fair to assume that Gardeck will get an even bigger role in 2026.

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What's next for the Jaguars after re-signing Dennis Gardeck?

The Jaguars had 13 pending free agents ahead of the start of the tampering period. After locking up Montaric Brown and Dennis Gardeck, they can turn their attention to the rest of the list.

The truth is that Jacksonville could have trouble meeting Devin Lloyd's or Travis Etienne's contract demands, so general manager James Gladstone might be better off turning his attention to underrated contributors such as wide receiver Tim Patrick or maybe even cornerback Greg Newsome, who may take a discount after struggling last year.

Of course, it would also be a good idea for the Jaguars to add reinforcements at defensive tackle or the pass rush. Either way, they have their work cut out, but expect them to be active in free agency even if they're lacking much cap space to go onto a spending spree.