The Jacksonville Jaguars are 7-4 and in a favorable position to make the playoffs in Year 1 of the Liam Coen era. One big reason is that they did a good job of addressing the larger scale roster in the offseason.
Since getting hired as the general manager, James Gladstone has made an effort to fill the roster with intangibly rich players: players with a physical streak that loved football. He most definitely added a few of them. However, not all his moves have panned out.
One of them hasn't been a non-factor, and the only reason it hasn't gotten nearly as much criticism as it deserves is that it was relatively cheap.
Chuma Edoga has been a non-factor for the Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars weren't in great cap shape in the offseason, so instead of setting their sights on premier free agents, they tried to get more bang for their buck. That led the front office to sign offensive lineman Chuma Edoga.
Throughout his career, Edoga was mostly a reserve and was expected to fill the same role in Jacksonville. However, he's come up short. What makes his underwhelming play more frustrating is that the former USC Trojan more frustrating is that he made a strong impression in the offseason, whether he lined up inside or outside.
But then, the regular season came, and Edoga left much to be desired. So far, he's played 85 offensive snaps, and while he's surrendered just two pressures and one sack, he's committed a concerning five penalties. Not surprisingly, he's been phased out in favor of fellow offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen, who's seen his stock surge after lining up at multiple positions and thriving.
Barring injuries in the trenches, it's hard to see Edoga getting a meaningful role anytime soon. Then again, this shouldn't come as a surprise if you've kept tabs on his career. A third-round pick by the New York Jets in 2019, he's also played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Dallas Cowboys.
Edoga stepped in for the Boys in 2023, which is why he got a new one-year deal. However, he was underwhelming in 2024. This is why he was available in free agency to begin with.
What should the Jaguars do with Chuma Edoga?
Let's get it out of the way: not every move a front office makes will be a hit, but that doesn't mean the misses shouldn't be acknowledged. With that out of the way, James Gladstone dropped the ball when he gave Chuma Edoga a two-year, $7 million deal. Sure, the contract wasn't cost-prohibitive, but that doesn't make it any better.
The good news is that the Jaguars can move on from Edoga next year without significant cap repercussions. He no longer has any guarantees in the contract, and releasing him would free up $3 million with $1 million in dead money.
Now, there's a chance Edoga turns the corner and finishes the season strong. That said, the team's brass could easily bring in another bargain free agent next year to replace him or find offensive-line depth in free agency.
Either way, Chuma Edoga hasn't had the impact the Jaguars expected, and nobody will bat an eye if they cut ties with him in the offseason.