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Ben Arthur
AFC South Reporter
After exercising financial restraint in 2023, the Jaguars were one of the NFL’s most active teams in free agency this spring.
They invested more than $123 million in contract value for defensive tackle Arik Armstead, wide receiver Gabe Davis, center Mitch Morse, cornerback Ronald Darby and defensive back Darnell Savage. They also extended a slew of their core players, including quarterback Trevor Lawrence and outside linebacker Josh Hines-Allen, who signed the two largest deals in franchise history.
Did the Jaguars give Trevor Lawrence his extension too soon?
But Jacksonville still has financial flexibility — should it choose to use it.
The Jaguars have $28.5 million in 2024 salary cap space remaining, seventh most in the NFL, according to overthecap.com. Of course, Jacksonville will need to have a buffer of cap room heading into the season for in-house spending, including for the practice squad, injured reserve, midseason additions and other procedural matters. It can also carry unused cap space after the upcoming season into 2025.
But the Jags have as much wiggle room as any club to add more players ahead of or during training camp. To close the gap with the reigning AFC South-champion Houston Texans, it’s something coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke could seriously consider.
Here are a few names that make sense for Jacksonville before camp:
CB Stephon Gilmore
Previous team: Dallas Cowboys
2023 stats (17 games): 68 tackles, 13 PBUs, 2 INTs
The Jags have gone young at cornerback — they released Darius Williams as a cap casualty and selected corners Jarrian Jones and Deantre Prince in the draft — but Gilmore is an intriguing option this late in free agency. The former AP Defensive Player of the Year is 33 years old and not the player he once was, but he’s still a starting-caliber player. He didn’t miss a game for Dallas last year.
The 12-year…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/jaguars-still-have-ample-cap-space-heres-how-should-use
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Publish date : 2024-07-11 21:33:56
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