The Jacksonville Jaguars are making moves to create space ahead of free agency. They started by releasing defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi, which frees up around $3.5 million in space. That's just the beginning though.
The Jags had around $24 million space before releasing Fatukasi and they'll need to keep making moves if they want to retain outside linebacker Josh Allen and wide receiver Calvin Ridley. While the team's brass could restructure a few contracts, they'll also need to release other players to get a bit of breathing room in free agency.
So which Jaguars players could be cap casualties before free agency begins? Here are four candidates to walk the plank.
4. Brandon Scherff, right guard
Salary for 2024: $24.9 M
Potential cap savings: $9.09 M
Dead money: $14.8 M
Even if the Jags don't pursue Kevin Dotson, one of the top guards in free agency, they should strongly consider moving on from veteran Brandon Scherff. While he's been serviceable since signing a three-year contract worth $49 million in 2022, the Jags paid him to perform at a Pro Bowl level. So far, they haven't gotten a good return on their investment.
Scherff has made 34 consecutive starts, something noteworthy when you take into account that he hadn't played a full season since 2016. That said, releasing him would allow the Jags to allocate the savings to other position groups. To replace him, they could either sign a less costly player in free agency or target a guard in Rounds 2 or 3 of the draft.
Make no mistake, moving on from Scherff would create a void at right guard, but it would be one Jacksonville could easily fill while getting a bit of cap relief.
3. Rayshawn Jenkins, safety
Salary for 2024: $12.2 M
Potential cap savings: $5.1 M
Dead money: $7.1 M
The Jaguars had several building blocks but not nearly enough to make a deep playoff push. That was evident last year when they failed to qualify for the postseason. One position that could use an upgrade is safety. While Andre Cisco has progressively gotten better and has developed into a mainstay of the secondary, veteran Rayshawn Jenkins has been inconsistent since signing with Jacksonville in 2021.
Jenkins inked a four-year deal worth $35 million that year. He was underwhelming that season but bounced back in 2022, playing an integral role in the Jags' playoff push. His walk-on pick-six to beat the Dallas Cowboys was a thing of beauty, and fans won't forget the impact his forced fumble had in the finale. However, the former Miami Hurricane took a step back in 2023. He wasn't necessarily bad, but he wasn't great either.
Entering the last year of his deal, Jenkins could find himself on his way out. Moving on from him would create $5.1 million in space, but it would also pave the way for sophomore Antonio Johnson to start next to Cisco in 2024.
Johnson, a fifth-round pick in last year's draft, mostly lined up in the slot and thrived. He saw his playing time increase as the season went on and eventually supplanted incumbent Tre Herndon. Johnson is a candidate to handle nickel duty in 2024 but the coaching staff may want to plug him in at safety, his natural position.
2. Darious Williams, cornerback
Salary for 2024: $12 M
Potential cap savings: $11.5 M
Dead money: $500,000
Darious Williams presents a conundrum for the Jaguars. Originally miscast as a nickel, he fared much better once he moved to the boundaries in the middle of the 2022 season. The former UAB Blazer followed it up with an even better 2023, registering four interceptions and 19 passes defensed.
Now, Williams enters the third and last year of the $30 million deal he inked in 2022. All things considered, he was one of the best players the Jaguars acquired in free agency that year. However, the team's brass will at least consider the possibility of releasing him to create cap space.
Unlike other players on this list, Williams wouldn't be cut because of performance-related reasons. Rather, it will be because the Jags can move on from him without a considerable cap penalty. Ideally, you want to keep good players around but the $11.5 million in savings may be too good to pass up. The fact that there's a new defensive coordinator, Ryan Nielsen, calling the shots cast additional doubt in Williams' future with the team.
It's uncertain if Williams fits Nielsen's system but if the Jags think they don't, releasing him is a reasonable course of action. On the other hand, they should keep him around if they think he could contribute in the new scheme. Heck, they could even give him an extension and push some of his salary to future years, creating a bit of space in 2024.
As noted before, Williams is here because of the amount of space the Jaguars can create if they release him. That said, the potential benefits may not be enough to justify his departure. After all, the Jags would need to look for his replacement in free agency or the draft, and they'll probably have a bit of a hard time acquiring someone who can perform at the same level right out of the gate.
1. Cam Robinson, left tackle
Salary for 2024: $21.9 M
Potential cap savings: $17.2 M
Dead money: $ 4.6 M
In a surprising turn of events, both general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson said that they expect left tackle Cam Robinson to be a Jaguar next season. This is newsworthy because Robinson has been seen as a potential cap casualty/trade target since he served a suspension last year that voided the guarantees left on the three-year deal worth $54 million he inked in 2022.
A second-round pick in 2017, Robinson has spent his whole career in Jacksonville. He got the franchise tag in 2021 and got a long-term deal the following year. While he has never been a Pro Bowl-caliber player, he's become a mainstay of the offensive line. His nasty streak was sorely missed while he served the suspension last year and the Jaguars played much better when he was in the lineup.
That said, the Jaguars are better off moving on from him than keeping him in 2024. Sure, the team's brass said they expect him to return but plans can always change, and the $17.2 million in space they would get if they release him may be too good to pass up. Moreover, Jacksonville has two potential in-house replacements ready to step up.
Walker Little has fared well when he's filled in for Robinson the past two years. But if the Jaguars aren't sold on Little, they could then move sophomore Anton Harrison, who played right tackle last year, to the left side, his natural position. Either way, the Jags are in a position to move on from Robinson. Heck, they could even place him on the trade block and see what other teams offer for him.
When you put together the potential savings and the trade compensation, parting ways with Robinson is a no-brainer, even if the Jaguars would like to keep him around in 2024.