4 Jacksonville Jaguars players who may not finish their current deals
• The Jaguars will have some tough decisions to do. That includes possibly parting ways with these 4 veteran players.
The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't off to a great start to the offseason. Already, they've gotten scorn for not getting in touch with outside linebacker Josh Allen and his representatives to begin contract negotiations. But even if they manage to right the ship and give Allen an extension, the Jags still have several decisions to make. One of the biggest ones will be choosing the best course of action to free up cap room.
Jacksonville currently has around $14 million in space, and that won't be nearly enough to re-sign players or make signings in free agency. While the team's brass will try to restructure a few contracts, they'll also have to outright release a few veterans to get relief. The next four could be among those who get the boot.
4. Zay Jones, wide receiver
Zay Jones was a game-changer in his first-season with the Jaguars, setting career bests for receiving yards and catches. His impact was in full display when he caught the game-winning two-point conversion in the amazing win over the Baltimore Ravens. Unfortunately, Jones wasn't able to contribute as much in 2023 due to a PCL injury that forced him to sit out several games.
But even when Jones suited up, he wasn't his old reliable self, finishing the year with a measly 34 receptions for 321 yards with two touchdowns. While there's a reason to believe he could bounce back and put up similar numbers to the ones he had in 2022, he could also be a cap casualty.
Zones is set to count $10.752 million against the cap in 2023 but releasing him would create $4.183 million in space with $6.5 million in dead money. That could tempt the team's brass to part ways with him. The downside of releasing the former East Carolina Pirate is that they would create a need at receiver, without any viable options to replace him on the roster right now.
Add the fact that Calvin Ridley is also set to hit the open market and the Jaguars may want to hold onto Jones. Still, they won't rule out releasing him.