The Jacksonville Jaguars have until 4:00pm EST on August 26 to finalize their 53-man roster, and as such, the cuts should be coming fast as the day goes on. The team has wasted no time making a number of moves, most notably cutting quarterback John Wolford.
Cutting Wolford gave some insight as to what Jacksonville's plans are for the QB position, making it clear that the Jaguars want just two quarterbacks on the roster this season. And the same can reasonably be expected as more cuts come in, indicating what the Jaguars are wanting their team to look like once the season starts.
The latest cut came from the defense, with veteran safety Daniel Thomas axed - something that many saw coming.
The #Jaguars are releasing veteran S Daniel Thomas, source said, saying goodbye to a player who has been in JAX since 2020.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 26, 2025
A long-time veteran is out the door
Thomas was drafted by the Jaguars in 2020, and though he never became a star player, he made a name for himself on special teams. And he played well enough to be re-signed in 2024 with a two-year contract. But he only got to play one year of it before being let go. Despite being lauded for his strong work ethic, his performance just wasn't good enough to win a spot in the crowded safety room.
The Jaguars picked up a lot of safeties in the offseason, first signing Eric Murray in free agency and then drafting Caleb Ransaw and Rayuan Lane. With those three added alongside Andrew Wingard, Darnell Savage, and Antonio Johnson, it was going to be a long shot for Thomas to stay on the team.
His time was already assumed to be up going into the preseason. It's true that he was still a valuable player; he was underwhelming on defense, but did an excellent job on special teams and made himself a fixture there. But with so many excess safeties on the roster, it just didn't make much sense to keep him around anymore. This was especially true once Lane was drafted, and it's assumed that he'll take Thomas' place on special teams.
Of course, Thomas may not be leaving Jacksonville entirely; he could still find a spot on the practice squad, and even if he isn't on the active roster, his tenure with the Jaguars will continue to be valuable as he can help mentor the rookies behind the scenes. And, who knows? He could still have a chance to be elevated to the active roster later in the season.