3 former Jacksonville Jaguars who won't live up to their new contracts
The Jacksonville Jaguars have objectively gotten better in free agency. They managed to address several needs without having to break the bank. On top of that, they managed to keep a handful of key contributors, including Josh Allen, Brandon Scherff, and Ezra Cleveland.
That said, the Jags weren't able to bring back all their pending free agents. A few of them didn't fit the budget. Others were no longer part of their long-term plans. Some of those players have had trouble finding a new home but others have successfully latched onto new teams.
These three, in particular, were able to land favorable deals, but based on past performance and/or current circumstances, they will struggle to live up to expectations.
3. Brandon McManus, K, Denver Broncos
1-year deal, $3.6 M
Signing kicker Brandon McManus to replace Riley Patterson seemed like a good move at the time. After all, Patterson proved to be reliable in 2022, coming up in the clutch against the Los Angeles Chargers in the playoffs. However, he didn't have the strength to routinely make field goals of +50 yards, forcing the Jaguars to go for it on fourth down more than they would've liked. Similarly, he struggled to give Jacksonville a favorable field position in kickoffs.
In theory, the Jags weren't going to have those problems with McManus, who consistently nailed long field goals during his stint with the Denver Broncos. Sure, he was coming off a down year but the Jags hoped he was going to bounce back in 2023. He didn't.
While McManus got off to a promising start last year, he faded down the stretch, going 10-of-15 in the last seven games. Moreover, he nailed just five of ten attempts behind the 50-yard line, which was supposed to be his forte. Based on the fact that the Jags didn't make an attempt to bring the veteran kicker back, it's fair to say that they weren't thrilled with his performance.
Sure, the Jaguars are still looking for a long-term answer at kicker but letting McManus leave in free agency was the right call. He's already struggled in back-to-back seasons, and things probably won't change with the Washington Commanders next season.