Big Cat Country
With the Cleveland Browns re-signing LB Devin Bush to a one-year deal, the Jacksonville Jaguars are now the sole remaining team to not re-sign a departing free agent from their 2024 roster.
With NFL regime change often comes scheme and identity updates to team rosters and depth charts. This shift in philosophy remains true for the Jacksonville Jaguars 2025 off-season under incoming General Manager James Gladstone, Head Coach Liam Coen, and Executive Vice President Tony Boselli with the Jacksonville Jaguars standing as the lone NFL team not to re-sign a departing free agent from their 2024 roster. With 14 free agent losses pending from the sub .500 Trent Baalke and Doug Pederson tenure, and LT Walker Little previously extended during the 2024 season the front office understandably went with the clean sweep route to rebuilding depth. The team could of course choose to re-sign any of the remaining (unsigned) players after the draft. However, with that route do come a few built-in risks.
Longtime media personnel and fans of the organization likely remember players such as eventual All-Pro New York Jets LB Quincy Williams, who was drafted by the Jaguars in 2019 and waived by Trent Baalke/Urban Meyer in 2021 after struggling with injuries for multiple seasons. He would later be claimed off waivers by the Jets, find his footing in their defense while staying healthy, and become the All-Pro backer we now know. While Williams may be the higher-profile team losses, former Las Vegas Raiders DE K’lavon Chaisson, who recently signed with the New England Patriots flourished in 2024 after leaving Jacksonville. Chaisson struggled to develop in his four years in Jacksonville under Todd Wash, Joe Cullen and Mike Caldwell and the team understandably allowed his contract to expire without picking up the heftier defensive end 5th-year option.
However, in 2024 after being promoted from the Vegas practice squad in October he racked up 32 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 passes defensed, a forced fumble, and an interception while playing primarily as a designated pass rusher (508 snaps). Meanwhile, Jacksonville is still in search of a third Edge rusher. A similar argument could be made for former 2021 and 2022 Jacksonville Jaguars and 2024 Minnesota Vikings CB Shaquill Griffin, after his resurgent 2024 season while playing as the third corner in Brian Flores’ defense (572 snaps).
Of course, there are other quality football players to leave Jacksonville and play well in their roles for a few years (IE: Foloronso Fatukasi in 2024 with Houston, Allen Lazard with Green Bay, Calais Campbell, Mercedes Lewis, etc). With these past departures in mind, and the Jaguars currently looking to raise the floor of the roster, is it possible that scheme fit, coaching style, or pure bad fortune may have resulted in down years for any of the 2024 departing players? Are there potentially any departing players from last year’s Jaguars roster that the team may look back on with possible regret?
Departing free agents:
