The Jacksonville Jaguars put together a well-rounded roster last year but will need to add reinforcements at several positions through free agency. Working against them is that they're $17 million over the cap, so the team's brass will have to make most of the upgrades in the 2025 NFL Draft.
That said, the Jags should be able to create space by restructuring a handful of deals and releasing a few players. Once they do, they should be able to make a handful of signings in free agency. And since Jacksonville will be watching the rest of the playoffs from home, general manager James Gladstone should take advantage of the opportunity to scout a handful of players who'll suit up in the title games.
With this in mind, here are four free agents the Jaguars must monitor in the Conference matchups, including a familiar face.
K'Lavon Chaisson, Patriots pass rusher
K'Lavon Chaisson is living proof that players' readiness is always variable coming out of college. A raw but talented prospect, Swiper went 20th overall to the Jaguars in 2020. In his rookie season, he had to learn to rush the passer with his hand on the ground and learned the nuances of the pro level. That hindered his progress.
Chaisson didn't get much better under Meyer in 2021, though. This led him to be the subject of trade chatter. Even when Doug Pederson took over the following, the former LSU Tiger didn't show much improvement. Surprisingly, he managed to stick around in 2023 as the No. 3 rusher but only because Jacksonville had nobody else behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
To nobody's surprise, the Jags let Chaisson walk in 2024. He quickly signed with the Carolina Panthers, but was cut just before the regular season. It wasn't until he joined the Las Vegas that he began to hit his stride. And after a strong finish with the Silver & Black, the Houston, Texas native has picked up where he left off with the New England Patriots, posting a career-best 7.5 sacks in 2025.
Following his breakout season, Chaisson should be a hot commodity in free agency. The regime that drafted him in Jacksonville is long gone, and there's a strong chance his second stint with the Jags would go much better than the first one.
John Franklin-Myers, Broncos defensive end
It's abundantly clear that aside from defensive tackle and cornerback, one of the Jaguars' biggest needs will be the pass rush. They will have a surplus of options but will still have a few intriguing alternatives. John Franklin-Myers will be one of them.
The 2018 draft pick just posted 42 total pressures last year and has registered eight sacks two years in a row. If that wasn't enough, he tallied 50 total pressures or more from 2019 to 2024. The Jaguars would love that kind of production at defensive tackle. But wait, there's more! Signing him wouldn't be cost-prohibitive.
Spotrac values Franklin-Myers at $7.8 million per year in free agency. If the Jaguars can get him at that rate (even if it's a bit more), they shouldn't hesitate to make him a priority. It's also worth noting that he can line up inside. That kind of versatility would be huge in Duval.
Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks running back
It looks like the Jaguars have favorable odds of retaining Travis Etienne. But if he leaves in free agency, maybe they could target another running back who'll be available: Kenneth Walker III.
Walker isn't nearly as prolific a pass catcher as Etienne but possesses big-play capability. Together with Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen, the Seattle Seahawks running back would give the Jags a well-rounded backfield talent.
The only downside of going after Walker is that he'll seemingly be more expensive than Etienne in the open market. But if Jacksonville can sort that out, he would be an intriguing addition to the offense.
Riq Woolen, Seahawks cornerback
Cornerback isn't currently a top priority for the Jags, but that could change if Montaric Browns leaves in free agency. If he does, Riq Woolen may be the best option available to replace him.
Ideally, Jacksonville would roll with the bird at hand rather than the one in the bush, not only because Brown is a homegrown talent but also because it would be cheaper to re-sign him. Having said that, going after Woolen would be justified.
Although he only logged one interception and surrendered three touchdowns in 2025, he's registered 12 career picks. On top of that, he's given up a completion rate lower than 60 percent in three of his four NFL seasons. Simply put, the Jags would be getting bang for their buck.