While the NFL playoffs are taking places, the Jacksonville Jaguars have already embraced full offseason mode. They have their work cut out following a dreadful 3-14 record in 2024, and first order of business will be finding a head coach following the dismisal of Doug Pederson.
It could be a while, maybe a couple more weeks, before the Jags find a new coach, but once they do, Pederson's replacement and general manager Trent Baalke (maybe someone else) will need to turn their attention to the roster and see which players they need to re-sign and which ones need to walk in free agency.
With that in mind, here are a handful of important days to keep an eye on ahead of the 2025 NFL free agency period.
February 18- March 4: Franchise tag window is open
Teams can start designating franchise or transition players for 2025 on Tuesday, February 18, and the deadline to use the tag is Tuesday, March 4, at 4:00 ET.
There are three different tags have at their disposal and a player can get any of them: Exclusive tag, non-exclusive franchise tag, and transition tag.
With the exclusive tag, players cannot negotiate with other teams, and clubs must pay them the average of the top five salaries at the designated player's position in the current year or 120 percent of the player's prior salary, whichever amount is higher.
On the other hand, players who get the non-exclusive franchise tag can negotiate a trade with other teams, but their club reserves the right to match any offer sheet. If it doesn't, it must get two first-round picks in return.
Last is the transition tag. Players get an average of the 10 highest-paid players at their position in the current year. Players can negotiate with other clubs, and if they leave, the original team doesn't get any compensation.
The Jaguars have made use of the franchise tag each of the past three years: Cam Robinson in 2022, Evan Engram in 2023, and Josh Hines-Allen in 2024.
The one Jaguars candidate who could get it in 2025 is safety Andre Cisco, a 2021 third-round pick who's slated to hit the open market.
NFL Negotiation Period: March 10-12
The negotiation period allows representatives, players, and clubs to engage in contract talks on the days preceding free agency. It's also known as the tampering period.
Last year, Jacksonville had agreed to a deal with kicker Wil Lutz during the tampering period, but he opted out and chose to re-sign with the Denver Broncos. The silver lining is that things turned out just fine for the Jags. They went on to draft Cam Little, who became a mainstay of their special teams.
NFL Free Agency begins on March 12 at 4:00 p.m. ET
Free agency will officially start in 2025 on Wednesday, March 12 at 4:00 p.m. ET. Because teams had been in contact with players and their representatives, you will see a flurry of signings just minutes after the period starts.
And for reference, here's a list of all the Jaguars free agents in 2025:
- Jeremiah Ledbetter, DL
- Caleb Johnson, LB
- Blake Hance, OG
- Brandon Scherff, OG
- Josiah Deguara, TE
- Luke Farrell, TE
- D'Ernest Johnson, RB
- Andre Cisco, S
- Mac Jones, QB
- C.J. Beathard, QB
- Esezi Otomewo, DL (exclusive rights free agent)
- De'Shaan Dixon, DL (exclusive rights free agent)
- Tim Jones, WR (restricted free agent)
- Cole Van Lanen, OL (restricted free agent)