Big Cat Country
Jacksonville’s former first-rounder is set to hit free agency in 2026.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are not picking up the fifth-year option for linebacker Devin Lloyd, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The Jaguars previously picked up the fifth-year option for defensive end Travon Walker.
Walker and Lloyd were selected with the 1st and 27th picks, respectively, of the 2022 NFL Draft. Jacksonville traded up with their original No. 33 pick to draft Lloyd out of Utah.
Lloyd has appeared in 48 games, with 46 starts, across three seasons in Duval County. His 355 combined tackles in that span rank 23rd in the league. The former Ute enjoyed his best professional season in 2024 when he recorded 113 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble after shifting from WILL (weakside) linebacker to MIKE (middle) linebacker.
The arrow for Lloyd is pointing up, considering his improvement since his rookie season and the fact that new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile is renowned for his work with linebackers. But it appears that the Jaguars are preparing for a Lloyd-less future now that they’ve declined his fifth-year option and drafted Jack Kiser with the 107th pick.
According to Over The Cap, Lloyd has a guaranteed salary of $2.5 million and a cap hit of $4.1 million in 2025. He is expected to start alongside Foye Oluokun in Jacksonville for one more season before hitting free agency in 2026.
