4 players the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't land in free agency and are better for it

2. Robert Hunt, OG, Panthers

Right guard Brandon Scherff was seen as a potential cap casualty ahead of free agency. Originally set to count over $20 million against the cap in 2024, the Jaguars could've freed up $9 million in space if they had released him. However, they chose to keep him around and still managed to lower his cap hit by restructuring his deal. Looking back, that was the right call.

Scherff fared well and didn't miss a game in 2023 even though he dealt with an ankle injury. Furthermore, he was a huge locker-room presence and played a pivotal role in then-rookie right tackle Anton Harrison's development. If that wasn't enough, the Jags' options became somewhat limited when the Los Angeles Rams gave Kevin Dotson a top-market deal.

The best right guard left after the Rams re-signed Dotson was Robert Hunt, a feisty blocker who would've given the Jaguars an edge. The only issue is that the Carolina Panthers had to give him a top-market contract.

It's hard to blame Hunt, though. He was going to go with the best suitor and the Panthers gave him a five-year, $100 million deal. However, that's too much for a guard who posted a below-average pass block win rate in 2023. Make no mistake, he'll shore up the Carolina offensive line but signing him would've been cost-prohibitive, and it wouldn't probably have allowed the Jags to address other needs in free agency.