5 affordable free agent targets for the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason

2. Bud Dupree, edge rusher, Atlanta Falcons

There are a handful of players who could follow defensive coordinator Ryan Neilsen from his previous stops in Jacksonville. Wherever he's gone, he's gotten rave reviews from his players and fellow coaches. With the Jaguars, he'll be tasked to get the most out of a group that underperformed last year. Working in his favor is that he'll have some intriguing pieces to work with, including Josh Allen and Travon Walker.

Having said that, Nielsen will want to bring in some of his guys. Cornerback Jeff Okudah makes sense. The former Ohio State Buckeye landed with the Atlanta Falcons last year and finally managed to build a bit of consistency under Nielsen's tutelage. He could keep making strides if he joined the Jaguars. Another Falcons protegee of Nielsen's who could join him in Jacksonville is Bud Dupree.

A first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015, Dupree signed a top-market contract with the Tennessee Titans in 2021. However, injuries prevented him from making an impact, and he was released last year. The Falcons quickly swooped in and signed him. He went on to enjoy somewhat of a career revival in A-Town.

After posting seven sacks during his two-year stint with Tennessee, Dupree had 6.5 in his lone season in Atlanta. Part of the uptick is that he was healthy, and he should be even stronger after playing all 17 games in 2023.

Dupree could give the Jaguars the No. 3 pass rusher they sorely needed last year to round out their rotation. The fact that he won't be nearly as costly as Josh Uche or Danielle Hunter could incentivize the team's brass to make a run for him.