Next Jaguars extension candidate is abundantly clear after paying Jakobi Meyers

General manager James Gladstone hit it out of the ballpark when he traded for Jakobi Meyers at the November 4 deadline. At the time, the Jacksonville Jaguars were struggling with drops and needed help at receiver. Right off the bat, the seventh-year pro gave the offense a boost and became such an integral piece of the offense that the team's brass just rewarded him.

Adam Schefter of ESPN just reported that Jacksonville gave Meyers an extension worth $60 million with $40 million in guarantees that ensure he stays until 2028. Since joining the Jags in early November, he's hauled in 27 receptions for 355 yards, so it's fair to say that he most definitely deserved a pay bump.

No longer having to worry about Meyers leaving in 2026, Gladstone can turn his attention to the rest of his to-do list in the offseason, and the next candidate for an extension is abundantly clear.

The Jaguars must next re-sign Montaric Brown after locking up Jakobi Meyers

This is James Gladstone's first year running the Jacksonville front office. Back in free agency, he did a good job of addressing the larger scale roster without breaking the bank. That said, he hadn't begun to retain players he either inherited or brought in until he extended Jakobi Meyers. Having checked off that box, the Jags must find a way to retain cornerback Montaric Brown.

A 2022 seventh-round pick, Brown worked his way up the depth chart. He saw extended playing time in his sophomore campaign and once again in 2024. However, he wasn't particularly consistent. At least not until Anthony Campanile became the defensive coordinator earlier this year.

With Campanile at the helm, Brown showed progress in the offseason and even made a strong bid for a starting job. However, it all came to a screeching halt when he suffered a leg injury that forced him to miss the preseason and an early portion of the regular season.

Once Brown returned, though, he supplanted Jarrian Jones in the starting lineup and hasn't looked back. Without a doubt, he's been the best corner on the Jags, registering two interceptions and five passes defensed while giving up a completion percent rate of 61.2 percent. His pick against the New York Jets was a sight to behold.

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The Jaguars may face a few hurdles when trying to re-sign Montaric Brown

Before re-signing Jakobi Meyers, the Jacksonville Jaguars were slated to have around $8 million in space for 2026. That amount will now be lower, so it will be a bit tougher to re-sign other pending free agents. Granted, James Gladstone can free up space by reworking a few deals and making a few roster cuts. That said, the Jags won't be able to pay everyone.

Aside from Brown, linebacker Devin Lloyd, running back Travis Etienne, and offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen are also scheduled to hit the open market. From an outside perspective, it's hard to tell who'll be a bigger priority, but one thing is certain: Jacksonville won't be able to retain all.

After all, they all play prominent roles in Jacksonville, but starting cornerbacks are hard to find, so it would be a good idea to make an aggressive effort to retain Brown, especially when you take into account that Greg Newsome's contract also expires after 2025.

The bottom line is that the Jaguars have a promising core in place, and it would be great to keep together as long as possible. And by re-signing Montaric Brown, they wouldn't have to worry about one cornerback spot going into the offseason.