5 reasons to get super excited about Jaguars training camp
• Trevor Lawrence will connect with Calvin Ridley
• The Jags have a clean bill of health (mostly)
No. 2 The Jaguars won't have any holdouts in training camp
With one day to go before the deadline to get a long-term deal done, the Jags and tight end Evan Engram struck a three-year contract worth $42.5 million. Had they not been able to reach an agreement, he would have played the 2023 season under the franchise tag and made $11.345 this year.
No longer having to worry about contract talks, Engram can now fully focus on the 2023 season. Similarly, the Jags have checked off a box on their to-do list and can feel good knowing they won't have any holdouts this year, unlike the New York Giants, the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, and defensive tackle Chris Jones are currently holding out and while there's a good chance they'll all join their respective teams, their absence could potentially have a negative impact.
Make no mistake, teams deal with holdouts the way they treat injuries — they roll with the next guy in line — but not having their star players for practice at a time when it's imperative to develop chemistry and rapport can potentially become a distraction.
The Jaguars don't have to deal with any of that. Heck, they just brought back defensive end Dawuane Smoot on a one-year deal, and the team's brass doesn't have any pressing contracts to take care of. Outside linebacker Josh Allen and wide receiver Calvin Ridley are set to be free agents next offseason.
Similarly, Trevor Lawrence is eligible for a contract extension in 2024 but Jacksonville has ample time to decide how they'll proceed. For the time being, holdouts won't be an issue at Jaguars training camp.