10 former Jaguars who are still having a hard time finding jobs this offseason
The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off back-to-back winning seasons, a feat they hadn't achieved since 2004-2005. On top of that, they have a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, so they should be in a position to compete for a playoff spot for years to come. That said, it wasn't always like that.
As recently as 2020, the Jags were one of the most irrelevant teams in the NFL. You can blame that on their inability to win games or playing in a small market. Regardless of the reason, there were also some bright spots, even if they were few and far between. For example, they had several marquee players, and some of them are even making noise right now.
Conversely, some of their players are having a hard time finding a job. Sure, Taven Bryan just re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts and Shaquill Griffin inked a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. However, these 10 former Jaguars have not been nearly as fortunate and are still looking for a team to call home.
10. Laviska Shenault Jr., WR (2020-2021)
Wide receiver Laviska Shenault had a promising rookie season in 2020, catching 58 passes for 600 yards with five touchdowns. Add his penchant for breaking tackles and Viska was seen as a potential candidate to break out in 2021. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to build off of his early success and struggled to make the leap in Year 2.
Then, head coach Doug Pederson arrived in 2022 and Shenault tumbled down the depth chart. The former Colorado standout didn't even make it to the regular season, getting traded to the Carolina Panthers, where he spent two uneventful seasons.
9. Dan Arnold, TE (2021-2022)
The Jaguars wanted to sign tight end Dan Arnold in free agency but they weren't able to work him in the budget. He signed with the Panthers but Jacksonville suddenly had the chance to acquire him when they traded C.J. Henderson to Carolina. Right off the bat, Arnold became one of Trevor Lawrence's most trusted targets but an MCL injury would cut his season short.
Arnold was expected to become an important piece on offense in 2022, with Doug Pederson at the helm. After all, Pederson was known for featuring tight ends on his offense. However, things didn't work that way in practice. The front office signed Evan Engram to be the starter and Chris Mahnertz got ahead of Arnold on the depth chart.
Throughout the 2022 season, Arnold saw minimal playing time and was gone the following year. He promptly joined the Philadelphia Eagles but failed to do anything of note in the City of Brotherly Love.