The Jacksonville Jaguars may need to replace several key defensive pieces in free agency. Linebacker Devin Lloyd, safety Andrew Wingard, and cornerbacks Greg Newsome and MontaricBrown are scheduled to become free agents. That's four players who logged a substantial amount of snaps last year. The issue is that the Jags probably won't have the cap space to bring back all four.
Heck, Jacksonville hasn't begun contract talks with Lloyd. That's probably because they know they can keep him around. On the other hand, re-signing Brown may not be nearly as expensive, and the team's brass may want to retain him after showing lockdown capabilities last year.
Having said that, it's uncertain whether the Jaguars will be able to meet Brown's salary demands. But if he leaves, the silver lining is that they could find his replacement in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Will Lee III could give the Jaguars an ideal replacement for Montaric Brown
The Jaguars gave up their 2026 first-round selection as part of a package to trade up for Travis Hunter last year. However, they still have their 2026 second-round selection, the No. 56 overall. They could use it on Will Lee III.
A former 3-star JUCO prospect, Lee transferred from Kansas State to Texas A&M in 2024. He went on to earn Second-Team All-SEC honors that year. At 6'1", the former Aggie has the size to play corner in the pros.
However, Daniel Harms of the Bleacher Report scouting department argues that Lee's long speed could be an issue. On top of that, "his eyes wander to open receivers due to not recognizing route combinations" in zone coverage.
Nevertheless, B/R colleague Brad Gagnon thinks that Lee's press coverage skills alone could propel him to the first round, even though he projects as a Day 2 selection. But if he's still available when the Jags are on the clock, they shouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
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Why drafting Will Lee III makes sense for the Jaguars
The truth is that the Jaguars may have a better chance of bringing Montaric Brown than Devin Lloyd, as it would arguably cost less. Currently, Spotract has a market value of $9 million per year for him. That's less than the more than $16 million that it would take to bring back the 2025 Second-Team All-Pro linebacker.
If Brown leaves, Will Lee would be an intriguing replacement. But even if the former stays, it would make sense to kick the tires on the latter. After all, Greg Newsome could leave in free agency, and Jacksonville needs to replenish the cornerback group.
Granted, Jourdan Lewis and Jarrian Jones are still around, but they're better suited to play in the slot. Similarly, Travis Hunter is in the mix and could start full-time at one spot in the boundaries. That said, the Jags may want to make upgrades at cornerback. After all, their dearth of star talent was exposed in the loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Aside from corner, defensive tackle, and the pass rush are in need of a boost. How the Jaguars remain to address all three positions remains to be seen, but drafting Will Lee would most definitely allow them check off a massive box.