The Jacksonville Jaguars chose not to go on a spending spree in free agency because they preferred to re-sign their own talent. And instead of waiting until Travon Walker's contract expired in 2027, they gave him a four-year extension worth $110 million with $77 million guaranteed.
With Walker now under contract through 2030, the Jags can focus on re-signing wide receiver Parker Washington and tight end Brenton Strange. On the other hand, just because general manager James Gladstone retained the former Georgia Bulldog doesn't mean that he won't address the team's remaining needs.
Heck, precisely because Gladstone extended Walker, he has no excuse not to fill Jacksonville's biggest roster void.
The Jaguars need to add a defensive tackle in the NFL Draft
While the Jaguars could use reinforcements at virtually every position group, they must prioritize the interior defensive trenches and the pass rush. The good news is that this is a good year to get a pass rusher, so they could easily wait until Round 3 to find a game-altering talent that can serve as the No. 3 behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
On the other hand, this year's crop of defensive tackles isn't that deep, so it would make sense to prioritize the position at No. 56. In fact, plenty of mocks have Jacksonville taking care of the position in Round 2.
For instance, Chad Reuter of NFL Media has the Jags taking Rayshaun Benny at No. 56 in his latest five-round mock draft, and understandably so. While Reuter doesn't offer a reason for the selection, he knows defensive tackle is a pressing issue in Jacksonville.
Benny would be an intriguing pick, but there's a chance Christen Miller, Lee Hunter, or Peter Woods will be available when the Jags are on the clock. They would surely love to target Kayden McDaniel, but he solidified his stock as a potential first-round pick with an impressive outing at the Ohio State Pro Day.
The Jags could wait until Round 3 to add a defensive tackle if they want to address another position. However, there would be somewhat of a dropoff. Domonique Orange or Darrell Jackson Jr. could be their best options. Then again, this is a realistic scenario if they add a linebacker like linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, or cornerback Chris Johnson with the 56th overall pick.
James Gladstone needs to bolster the Jaguars defensive front
Regardless of the round, the Jaguars can't afford to pass up the chance to add reinforcements at defensive tackle in the draft. Arik Armstead will seemingly stick around next season even though he's been dubbed a cut candidate, but he's entering a contract year, and the team's brass may want to start looking for his heir apparent.
DaVon Hamilton, on the other hand, excels against the run but lacks pass-rush juice. Like Armstead, he'll become a free agent in 2027, so it would be a good idea to bring in reinforcements, whether he returns or not.
Maason Smith is also in the mix, but he will need to bounce back from a disappointing season. For the time being, the Jags need to look for help at defensive tackle. Doing so would help prevent other teams from double-teaming Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.
This would, in turn, lead to better overall production from the Jaguars defense, so James Gladstone will need to work his magic in the NFL Draft.