You have probably heard that deadlines spur action, and that was certainly the case for the Jacksonville Jaguars and cornerback Montaric Brown. Scheduled to hit the open market after a banner season, he was expected to garner plenty of attention in the open market.
However, Brown isn't going anywhere after agreeing to a deal that will keep him in Duval for years to come.
The Jaguars are re-signing Montaric Brown to 3-year deal
Just hours before the start of the tampering period, insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Jags are re-signing Montaric Brown to a three-year deal worth $33 million, adding that he was one of their top priorities. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media confirmed the move as well.
A seventh-round pick in the 2022 draft, Brown was a reserve early in his NFL career but progressively got more playing time. By 2024, he had supplanted Ronald Darby as the starter opposite Tyson Campbell. However, it wasn't until defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile arrived last year that the former Arkansas Razorback put it all together.
With Campanile at the helm, Brown registered 12 passes defensed and a career-best two interceptions while giving up a completion rate of just 54.4 percent.
Originally projected to get a contract that paid him around $9 million per year, Brown ended up getting $11 million per year. This isn't necessarily surprising when you take into account that the Jags would've needed to get into a bidding war with other teams if he had tested the open market.
The Eagles were reportedly interested in pursuing Brown. Similarly, the Titans were dubbed a landing spot for him if he had been available. Simply put, Jacksonville chose to fork out a bit more rather than losing him in free agency.
On the other hand, it's fair to wonder what will happen to fellow cornerback Greg Newsome. Although it may be cheap to bring him back, it's hard to tell if he's part of the team's plans after locking up Brown.
Re-signing Montaric Brown is huge for the Jaguars
After signing Montaric Brown, cornerback is no longer a top priority for the Jaguars. Sure, they may still need to add depth in the draft, but they no longer have to worry about finding a new No. 1 and can easily allocate their Day 2 picks — They have one second-rounder and three selections in Round 3 — to other positions.
Brown and Travis Hunter give the Jaguars a pair of boundary cornerbacks. With Jourdan Lewis and Jarrian Jones in the slot, the team's brass can now turn its attention to the pass rush and the defensive tackle position.
The Jaguars had their work cut out for them before free agency began. That said, re-signing Montaric Brown allows them to check a massive box. It will be interesting to see who they manage to bring back next.
Stay tuned for more updates.