Back in the 2025 offseason, safety appeared to be a glaring weakness for the Jacksonville Jaguars, even after drafting Caleb Ransaw and signing Eric Murray. However, the position turned out to be a strength, and some of that was due to Antonio Johnson having a banner season.
While Johnson is the favorite to start next to Eric Murray in the back end, both of them will need to fend off sophomore Caleb Ransaw and rookie Jalen Huskey. This could lead to heated competition at Organized Team Activities.
Sure, all eyes are on whether Emmanuel Pregnon will challenge Ezra Cleveland or Patrick Mekari for a starting job on the offensive line, but the position battle at safety will most likely have roster and cap ramifications this year and next.
Will the Jaguars move on from Antonio Johnson?
One of the most exciting storylines surrounding the Jaguars in 2025 was the ascension of Antonio Johnson. Granted, he had already flashed potential as a rookie but was benched several times throughout the 2024 season. The former Texas A&M Aggie is now entering a contract year. Even if he has another banner season, Jacksonville may not re-sign him and instead prioritize re-signing other players.
And that's the thing: while the Jags are making an effort to extend tight end Brenton Strange and wide receiver Parker Washington, there are no reports that they're making an aggressive push to bring Johnson back.
Early in 2026, the team's brass let running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd leave even after having a banner season. For this reason, nobody would bat an eye if Johnson also leaves in 2027, especially when you take into account that the Jags have Caleb Ransaw and Jalen Huskey in the mix.
This begs the question, how could the position battle at safety affect the roster this year?
The Jaguars could move on from Eric Murray
Antonio Johnson will have to once again earn his starting job but should have no trouble doing it after registering a team-best five interceptions in 2025 and posting the best PFF grade among safeties with more than 100 defensive snaps. If anything, Eric Murray could be more vulnerable.
Although Murray was a fine player in 2025, he didn't make many game-changing plays. The Jaguars may want an upgrade at safety. That's where Caleb Ransaw and Jalen Huskey come in.
The team was bullish on Ransaw last year, and Huskey was a ballhawk at the collegiate level. Murray will have the edge by virtue of being the incumbent, but he could be phased out in favor of either Ransaw or Huskey.
Here's where things get interesting. If Murray loses his job, the Jags could either trade him or release him in 2026 or wait until next year. They could keep him for depth or use his roster spot for another player. Either way, moving on from him would pave the way for either Ransaw or Huskey to start. But what if neither is ready?
If Ransaw doesn't stand out, the Jaguars could easily lean on Johnson and Murray. Heck, the latter's contract runs through 2027, so the team's brass can afford to keep him around. But if Ransaw isn't ready, retaining Johnson could suddenly become a priority.
The alternative would be to allow Johnson to walk and look for his replacement in free agency or the draft, but that would mean that Ransaw didn't live up to expectations.
For the time being, it looks like Antonio Johnson will hold onto his starting spot, but the Jaguars will want to see Caleb Ransaw and Jalen Huskey competing for the other. How they fare could end up playing a role in the team's plans at safety. This is why it will be key to get off to a strong start at Organized Team Activities.
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