Success in free agency doesn't always translate into wins in the regular season. That said, the Jacksonville Jaguars should feel pleased about the moves they made during the tampering window. Besides doing a good job of re-signing their own players from leaving, they've managed to take care of several needs without overspending.
Maybe the prospect of failing to make the playoffs incentivized the Jags to be active in free agency. But regardless of the reason, they look in better shape than they were to end the 2023 season. With that in mind, here are three observations from the signings they made so far.
3. The Jaguars prioritize bolstering the offensive line
One of the Jaguars' biggest weaknesses last year was the offensive line. Their inability to keep Trevor Lawrence upright or pound the ball ultimately played a role in their late-season collapse. Not surprisingly, the team's brass made it a priority to fortify the trenches.
First, they re-signed left guard Ezra Cleveland, whom they traded for at the deadline. Although injuries prevented Cleveland from hitting his stride in 2023, the Jags are confident he can be part of the solution, so they gave him a three-year deal worth $24 million. The expectation is he'll benefit from being healthy and spending a full offseason in Jacksonville.
On the other hand, the Jags also reworked Brandon Scherff's deal, ensuring he stays in 2024. Even though he hasn't been able to recapture his Pro Bowl shape, he's been a dependable player for the Jags. In his defense, he's dealt with injuries the past two years but still managed to make 34 consecutive starts.
But the most important move the Jags have made is the addition of veteran Mitch Morse, who'll take over the starting job at center. Last year's starter Luke Fortner regressed and was routinely the weakest link up front. It's fair to assume that Morse's arrival will lead to an overall improvement across the offensive line.
With much better protection, Trevor Lawrence should have no trouble bouncing back. Similarly, the Jaguars should do a much better job of running the ball in 2024, which would in turn take some pressure off Lawrence's shoulders.
2. The Jaguars were surprisingly active in free agency, that's good
The Jaguars took a conservative approach last year because they believed they had enough talent in place to win the AFC South and make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. That turned out to be a crass miscalculation.
Even though the left guard spot was a pressing need, they chose not to address it. Incumbent Ben Bartch was recovering from a knee injury he suffered in 2022, and when the regular season came, he showed he wasn't 100 percent healthy. The coaching staff turned to backup Tyler Shatley but he wasn't much better. They then bumped left tackle Walker Little inside. Without any better options, they ended up trading for Ezra Cleveland at the deadline.
But at that point, it was a bit too late and left guard remained a question mark throughout 2023. Something similar happened with the pass rush. The Jaguars had several chances in the offseason to add a No. 3 behind Travon Walker and Josh Allen but decided not to.
You could make the case that injuries were to blame for the Jaguars' collapse but the truth is that good teams manage to overcome them. In reality, general manager Trent Baalke didn't do a good job of replenishing the roster, and injuries exposed the team's lack of dearth.
Baalke isn't repeating the same mistake and he's ensuring the Jaguars have plenty of talent to compete. Besides fortifying the trenches, he added several defensive pieces and locked up return specialist Devin Duvernay.
There's still work left to do but it's encouraging to see Baalke operate with a sense of urgency.
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.