While the Jacksonville Jaguars entered free agency with clear needs, they mostly focused on re-signing their own players, with running back Chris Rodriguez being the only external addition. On top of that, the Jags let cornerback Greg Newsome, linebacker Devin Lloyd, and running back Travis Etienne leave. Sure, they got three compensatory draft picks in 2027 due to their departures but have several holes to fill.
To nobody's surprise, the dearth of additions, along with the key departures, led Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus to give Jacksonville a mediocre grade after the initial free agency spending.
PFF gives the Jaguars a mediocre grade for their free-agency haul
Gordon McGuinness assigned grades to all NFL teams after the first wave of free agency. He gave the Jaguars a B, mostly praising them for the Montaric Brown extension even though it came with a bit of a risk. Here's the skinny.
"There were reports that Brown would command a strong salary, and that's what has come to pass before the new league year begins," McGuinness wrote. "Brown's PFF coverage grade has improved every season he has been in the league, and while there is some risk here due to the price, he is still an ascending player coming off his best NFL season. It makes sense for the Jaguars to lock him up into his late 20s."
All things considered, McGuinness is right about his assessment of Brown and the grade he gave the Jags. After all, cornerback is no longer a need after re-signing him, but they didn't make an acquisition that truly moved the needle.
Sure, keeping Brown and Dennis Gardeck will provide stability on defense and will give the front office flexibility. Moreover, bringing in Chris Rodriguez to bolster their backfield was a low-key addition that could pay massive dividends.
Having said that, general manager James Gladstone didn't address any needs and instead created one at linebacker when he let Devin Lloyd walk. And in case you were wondering, McGuinness isn't the only analyst who isn't sold on the Jags' free-agency haul, with Mike Jones of The Athletic calling them "losers" for their lack of acquisitions.
Couple that with the fact that other AFC South teams made several impact acquisitions, and it's easy to see why Jacksonville isn't getting much love after the first wave of free agency.
The Jaguars have a plan to address the larger scale roster
The Jaguars were never going to be big spenders in free agency, as they're carrying more than $50 million in dead money due to bad contracts the past regime handed. If they wanted to right the ship and get in healthy cap shape, they were going to show restraint, which is precisely what they did. And that won't come up in reviews.
Leaving the lack of cap space aside, the Jaguars have three picks in the top 100 in the upcoming draft. That should be more than enough to address the pass rush and the interior defensive line, the team's top needs right now.
Moreover, the team's brass can use some of their selections this year or the ones they have in 2027 to trade for proven players before the regular season. That's the route general manager James Gladstone took last year when he acquired defensive tackle Khalen Saunders Sr., and wide receivers Tim Patrick and Jakobi Meyers. No one would bat an eye if he did it again.
Simply put, the Jaguars have plenty of time to bolster the roster and keep up in the AFC South arms race. The early results may not be pretty, but it won't matter if they get off to a strong start to the season.