The Jacksonville Jaguars may need to replace a couple of key pieces on defense this offseason, with linebacker Devin Lloyd and cornerback Montaric Brown slated to become free agents. It would surely sting to see both of them leave, but the good news is that two-way star Travis Hunter will lessen the blow by spending more time at corner next season. Moreover, the Jags have no shortage of picks in this year's draft to add reinforcements. In fact, they have four on Day 2.
That could turn out to be more than enough draft ammo to turbocharge the defense. And based on a recent report, that's the direction the team's brass is leaning toward.
The Jaguars will reportedly go defense in Round 2 of the draft
Plenty of chatter takes place in the NFL Scouting Combine, and Charlie Campbell of Walter Football just reported that the Jaguars are planning to go defense in the second round of the draft, noting that Jacksonville could either bolster the defensive line or add a cornerback.
"In speaking with team sources, they said they would prefer to draft a defensive player in the second round," Campbell wrote. "On the defensive side of the ball, sources say, ideally, they would like to get an interior defensive lineman. Some interior defensive linemen they could consider include Florida State's Darrell Jackson Jr. or Alabama's L.T. Overton."
Later in the article, Campbell points out that the Jags probably won't go offense but doesn't entirely rule out the possibility, citing receiver as a position they could address on Day 2.
"They said they didn't envision them taking an offensive player, but would like to add a receiver with some size so that could be in play depending on who is on the board," Campbell wrote.
Circling back to Campbell's scoop, Lee Hunter and Darnell Jackson Jr. have been mocked to the Jags often, so it's not particularly shocking to see him bring both of them up as potential Day 2 targets. Similarly, Jacksonville is seen as a possible destination for several cornerbacks, such as Tennessee's Colton Hood, Syracuse's Brandon Cisse, and Miami's Kionte Scott.
And in case you were wondering, the Jaguars gave the Cleveland Browns their first-round pick in 2026 as part of a package to trade up for Travis Hunter last year. On the other hand, they got two third-round picks from the Detroit Lions in the upcoming draft when they agreed to move down several spots in last year's draft.
In total, Jacksonville has one pick in Round 2, and three in the third round (their original, and the two the Lions ave them. That should be more than enough to address their needs on defense.
It's nearly a certainly that the Jaguars will stay put in free agency
The Jaguars would surely love to address the larger scale roster in free agency. After all, that's how they raised the floor last year. That said, they're $15.9 million over the cap, so even if they manage to free up space, it's hard to see the team's brass going into a spending spree.
Then again, general manager James Gladstone has known the team's cap situation for a while, so this isn't necessarily breaking news. Heck, he might've already laid out a strategy to replace whichever players Jacksonville lets leave in free agency. This is why nobody will bat an eye if the front office goes heavy on defense in the draft.
Aside from Devin Lloyd and Montaric Brown, linebacker Dennis Gardeck, cornerback Greg Newsome, and safety Andrew Wingard are other notable Jags players scheduled to hit the open market. On top of that, defensive tackle Arik Armstead could be a cap casualty.
Even if the Jags find a way to bring back a few of them in free agency, that's simply too many players they may need to replace. Fortunately, they have the draft ammo to make it happen.