The Jacksonville Jaguars have already begun to lock up players ahead of free agency, giving contracts to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen. However, they still have plenty of work to do. One of their biggest decision will be what to do with linebacker Devin Lloyd.
A first-round pick in 2021, Lloyd didn't hit his stride until last season, when he registered five interceptions and was named Second-Team All-Pro. He's now slated to hit the open market after the team declined the fifth-year option on his rookie deal.
Re-signing Lloyd won't come cheap. Spotrac has set his market valuation at $20.1 million per year, and the Jags could be dealing with a cap crunch in the offseason. When you add it all up, it's easy to see why a team reporter isn't overly optimistic that the veteran linebacker will stay in Duval.
A Jaguars reporter believes Devin Lloyd will leave in free agency
Kainani Stevens of the team's official website made an appearance on 1010 XL and stated that she expects Devin Lloyd to walk in free agency, arguing that he might have priced himself out after his breakout season.
"I think there's going to be a lot of changes, maybe more than we might have thought originally, just because they have a lot of free agents. And I think defensively, on the defensive side of the football, we might see significant changes. I don't know exactly what that's going to look like. I think Devin Lloyd's probably priced himself out at this point, just because I don't think that's a position group they're going to invest a ton of money in."
Stevens continued, "And he had such a great season that there's going to be someone else that offers him a lot of cash. So I think, unfortunately, Devin Lloyd might not be here anymore, and then you got to kind of focus on that, because Foye Oluokun has been getting injured. Is that a position group you need to invest more money in? I mean, they did draft Jack Kaiser and obviously Ventrell [Miller], they liked him as well. But is that enough?"
As Stevens noted, the Jags like Ventrell Miller. A fourth-round pick in 2023, the former Florida Gator could be the first in line to replace Devin Lloyd. But even if the team's brass is high on him, he's slated to hit the open market in 2027, so the Jaguars may need to pour resources into the linebacker corps.
Aside from Miller, the Jaguars have linebackers Foyesade Oluokun, Yasir Abdul, and Jack Kiser under contract. Like Lloyd, Dennis Gardeck is scheduled to become a free agent.
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The Jaguars are bracing themselves for the possibility of Devin Lloyd leaving
The Jaguars would love to keep Devin Lloyd, but keeping him would limit their ability to address other position groups. In fact, general manager James Gladstone didn't sound overly confident when discussing his future with the team, noting that the team will do what's best for everyone.
All things considered, it's easy to understand Gladstone's position. The Jaguars are $17 million over the cap and may not want to pour a substantial amount of resources into a position that isn't premium. Couple that with the fact that cornerback and the pass rush appear to be bigger priorities, and letting Lloyd walk appears to be the best course of action.
The Jaguars will have a challenging offseason, and if Devin Lloyd ultimately leaves, finding his replacement will be at the top of their to-do list.