The Jacksonville Jaguars will need to decide which free agents they want to bring back in 2024. Some should be easy decisions. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley and outside linebacker Josh Allen solidified their place as key cogs on their respective sides of the ball. The Jags should do what they can to lock both of them up.
On the other hand, a handful of players whose contracts will expire and don't seem to have a favorable chance of donning the Black and Teal next season. The next three fall in that category and fans won't shed a tear if they leave.
3. Tyler Shatley, offensive guard
The Jaguars' biggest weakness in 2023 was their offensive line. While injuries played a role in the group's underwhelming performance, the front office's failure to make upgrades in the offseason also had a negative impact. Their left guard spot, in particular, was a source of trouble of trouble throughout most of the year.
When Ben Barth showed he wasn't 100 percent after suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2022, Tyler Shatley was thrust into action. An undrafted free agent in 2014, Shatley was overwhelmed. While he's serviceable in spot duty, he's not suited to start for an extended period of time. Last year, he ended up giving up nine total pressures and one sack in 518 snaps.
Although those are decent numbers, it helped that Trevor Lawrence consistently got rid of the ball quickly, and his Pro Football Focus 44.6 run blocking grade left much to be desired. At 32, he won't get better any time soon, so nobody will bat an eye if the 2023 season was his last in Jacksonville.
2. Tre Herndon, corneback
The Jaguars have invested a handful of draft picks in the cornerback position the last couple of years. Having enough time to develop, they all could get more playing time. This may not be great news for Tre Herndon, who's slated to hit the open market.
An undrafted free agent in 2018, Herndon worked his way up the depth chart, and started 24 games in 2019-2020. He was slated to line up at nickel in 2021 but an MCL injury forced him to sit out a few games, and spent a good chunk of the season on the sideline. The Vanderbilt product signed a one-year deal to return in 2022. He replaced Shaquill Griffin when he suffered a season-ending injury but later moved to the slot, where he's a better fit.
Herndon began the 2023 season in the slot but was eventually phased out in favor of safety/nickel Antonio Johnson. Had rookie Christian Braswell remained healthy, he might've also gotten probably gotten snaps inside. Besides Braswell, 2022 draft picks Gregory Junior and Montaric Brown could compete in the offseason for the nickel job. Both of them have made strides the past two years and may have more upside than Herndon at this point of their respective careers.
At 27, Herndon still has plenty of football left in him. However, the Jaguars have been getting younger at the position, so there may not be room for him. That said, teams looking to add depth at cornerback might be intrigued by his ability to line up in the boundaries and inside.
1. K'Lavon Chaisson, edge rusher
Outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson has seemingly been on his way out since 2020 but he might've gotten to the end of the row at last. In a way, the Jaguars' brass deserves credit for not giving up on him despite that he was a non-factor throughout his four-year stint in Jacksonville.
Chaisson, a first-round pick in 2020, generally garnered rave reviews at the time of his selection. But that's why you cannot truly assess a draft class until two or three years have passed. Some players need time to hit their stride and others fail to live up to expectations. Guess which category the player known as Swiper falls into.
Coming out of college, Chaisson was seen as a raw, yet toolsy prospect. It was fair to assume that he would be able to develop behind Yannick Ngakoue, Calais Campbell, and then-sophomore Josh Allen. However, Ngakoue and Campbell were traded before the 2020 season, and Chaisson was pressed into action. The fact that he switched to playing with his hand on the ground after rushing the passer from a standup position further hindered his growth.
Doug Marrone was gone after 2020 and Urban Meyer took over. If there was one player that benefited from a fresh start, it was Chaisson. But he failed to take a chance of the opportunity, registering a measly sack, and progressively seeing his playing time drop. Doug Pederson was hired as the head coach in 2022, and Chaisson once again had an uneventful year.
2023 was much of the same for Chaisson, and the only reason he got extended playing time was because the Jags had no one else. Now, he's set to become a free agent, which may be the best for him. Things didn't work out in Jacksonville. If he wants to resurrect his career, it will probably have to be somewhere else.