3 observations on the Jacksonville Jaguars early free-agency frenzy
1. The Jaguars could go "best player available" in the draft
All things considered, the Jaguars have had a productive free-agency period but they still have a handful of needs to address. The most important one may be the interior defensive line but there are a few others.
After releasing Folorunso Fatukasi, the Jaguars need to bring in a defensive tackle. The best ones in free agency are already taken, so maybe they'll wait until the draft to acquire one. Byron Murphy II at No. 17 would be great but there will be other enticing prospects (Braden Fiske, Mekhi Wingo) in later rounds.
The Jags also need to find a long-term answer at cornerback. Even though they signed Ronald Darby in free agency, he's more of a temporary fix. On top of that, Tyson Campbell is set to become a free agent in 2025. When you take into account that he may not be a good fit in defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen's system, the team's brass may prioritize the position in the early rounds of the draft.
Fortunately for the Jags, this year's cornerback class will be stacked, so they come out of Day 2 with a pretty good one. On the other hand, they also need to bolster the pass rush. Travon Walker and Josh Allen give Jacksonville a dynamic tandem but they need a No. 3 that can spell them from time to time.
The Jags could bring back either K'Lavon Chaisson or Dawuane Smoot to round out their rotation but they may be better off waiting until the draft. At No. 17, they could be in a position to take Dallas Turner, Chop Robinson, or Laiatu Latu.
Either way, Jacksonville can take several paths in the first round, and that will be possible because they've filled several holes in free agency.