Zay Jones and 4 other former Jaguars who have floundered in 2024

The Jacksonville Jaguars have gotten lots of flak for letting several talented players leave the past two years. Defensive end Arden Key and wide receiver Calvin Ridley are two of the most notable examples.

Key signed a relatively modest deal with the Tennessee Titans last year and has gone on to become a reliable piece in their pass-rush rotation. Ridley, on the other hand, also bolted for the Titans and has become Will Levis' most trusted target after a slow start to 2024.

Having said that, the Jags should also get a bit of credit for rightly moving on from players because they didn't warrant a new deal or simply weren't good enough. These five come to mind.

Zay Jones, wide receiver

The Jags raised eyebrows when they gave Zay Jones a top-market deal in 2022. After all, the former East Carolina Pirate had logged over 600 receiving yards and 50 catches in a season once since the Buffalo Bills drafted in 2017. However, he proved to be a wise investment in his first season in Duval, setting new career bests for receptions and yards in a season.

Unfortunately, injuries hampered Jones in 2023, and he ended up hauling in 34 passes for 321 yards with two touchdowns. That prompted the team's brass to release him in a cap-saving move after this year's draft. The Texas native eventually latched onto the Arizona Cardinals but hasn't done much for them this season. So far, he's appeared in five games and reeled in one reception for three yards.

As underwhelming as Gabe Davis has been for the Jaguars, you could make the case that Jones has been much worse.

Jamal Agnew, return specialist

You have to (unwillingly) tip your hat to Urban Meyer. When he was hired by the Jags, he identified the special teams as an area in need of a boost. That led the team to sign return specialist Jamal Agnew in 2021.

Right off the bat, Agnew gave the special teams a spark, returning a missed field goal and a kickoff for touchdowns in consecutive weeks. The former San Diego Torero also became a playmaker on offense, often lining up as a receiver and a running back.

Agnew built off his first season with the Jaguars and saw an uptick in playing time on offense. Unfortunately, injuries would derail his 2022 season and last year wasn't much better. The San Diego California managed 14 receptions for 225 yards with one touchdown. He did have a few long returns but not nearly enough as the team would have wanted,

After spending the past three seasons in Jacksonville, Agnew became a free agent earlier this year but remained unsigned for most of the offseason. It wasn't until just a few weeks ago that the Pittsburgh Steelers locked him up.

Dawuane Smoot, defensive end

A third-round pick in 2017, Dawuane Smoot needed a bit of time to hit his stride. But by Year 3, he had become a staple of the Jacksonville defensive front. While he was far from a Pro Bowl-caliber pass-rusher, the former Illinois Fighting Illini amassed 22.5 sacks from 2019-2022.

Unfortunately, an Achilles injury cut his 2022 season short and forced Smoot to spend the 2023 offseason rehabbing. He eventually re-signed with the Jags but wasn't nearly as productive as he was in the past. He walked in free agency and signed with the Buffalo Bills. So far, he's been unremarkable in 2024, registering 1.5 sacks and 12 total tackles.

There's no doubt Smoot was an important contributor during the Jags' darkest days, but it looks like injuries have robbed him of his athleticism in recent years.

Tre Herndon, cornerback

You must tip your hat to Tre Herndon for working his way up the Jaguars depth chart after going undrafted in 2018. By his sophomore campaign, he had become a key cog in the Jacksonville secondary.

In 2019-2020, Herndon started 26 games for the Jags. He didn't get nearly as much playing time in later years but still carved a niche in a reserve role. All things must come to an end, and the front office let the former Vanderbilt standout walk this past offseason.

Herndon would eventually join the New York Giants but he was released before the regular season. He later signed to the New Orleans Saints practice squad and later their active roster. However, he's only seen action in one game this season.

DJ Chark Jr., wide receiver

You could argue that this entry is a bit of cheating, but the truth is that it's always interesting to see how former Jaguars are doing, especially DJ Chark Jr., who at one point in his career looked like an ascending star.

Although the former LSU Tiger was underwhelming as a rookie, he made the Pro Bowl and crossed the 1,000-yard in his sophomore campaign. Expected to make a leap in 2020, Chark was instead marred by injuries. He still finished with a productive 53 catches for 706 yards for the year, but it's fair to say that much more was expected from him.

Then again, players are bound to suffer injuries and the hope was that Chark was going to bounce back in 2021. Unfortunately, he fractured his foot just four games into the season. Not surprisingly, he was given the boot in 2022, and since leaving the Jags, he hasn't done much of note, having spent time with the Carolina Panthers, the Detroit Lions, and now the Los Angeles Chargers.

The silver lining is that Chark may just get an opportunity in light of Quentin Johnston's struggles in Los Angeles.

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