Jacksonville Jaguars
Rookie
How did free agency impact the Jaguars’ draft plans?
Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2025/3/13/24384937/how-free-agency-impacts-jaguars-draft-plans
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Nine early signings - do they change the focus on draft weekend?
The James Gladstone era in Jacksonville began with a bang on Tuesday, the new Jaguars’ GM agreeing deals with nine free agents. Considering the raft of releases and trades in the days prior, the roster already looks significantly different to the one that finished 4-13 last season. But of course the job is far from done, and the NFL Draft still looms large for this front office. How will recent personnel moves affect the team’s approach to draft weekend? Let’s dive in:
Jaguars gains:
- Jourdan Lewis, CB
- Nick Mullens, QB
- Johnny Mundt, TE
- Hunter Long, TE
- Dyami Brown, WR
- Eric Murray, S
- Patrick Mekari, IOL
- Chuma Edoga, OT
- Robert Hainsey, C
Jaguars Losses:
- Brandon Scherff, IOL
- Mac Jones, QB
- Caleb Johnson, LB
- Jeremiah Ledbetter, DT
- Andre Cisco, S
- D’Ernest Johnson, RB
- CJ Beathard, QB
- Josiah Deguara, TE
- Blake Hance, OT
- Luke Farrell, TE
- Ronald Darby, CB (released)
- Evan Engram, TE (released)
- Christian Kirk, WR (traded)
- Mitch Morse, C (retired)
Needs still remain needs?
The post-mortem of a catastrophic 2024 campaign began with a culling of coaches, and ultimately the departure of general manager Trent Baalke. But there was also common consensus of the areas on the Jaguars roster that needed significant upgrading, namely the offensive line and the secondary. In that regard, perhaps not much has changed, as a lot of the incoming names seem to be direct replacements for outgoing talent…
The biggest signing of free agency so far appears to be corner Jourdan Lewis, who looks set to assume the nickel role. This will allow Jarrian Jones to move more permanently to an outside role, negating the release of Ronald Darby. Similarly, Eric Murray coming in at safety from the Houston Texans will compensate for the loss of Andre Cisco to the New York Jets. Have the Jags upgraded in this department? Maybe, maybe not. But at the very least they’ve broken even.
It’s the same story on the offensive line. With Brandon Scherff and Blake Hance hitting free agency and center Mitch Morse retiring, the additions of Patrick Mekari, Chuma Edoga and Robert Hainsey are almost perfect like for like replacements. Dyami Brown for Christian Kirk, Nick Mullens for Mac Jones, even the combo of Johnny Mundt and Hunter Long for Evan Engram and Luke Farrell; everywhere you look, the Jaguars have plugged holes without necessarily getting better. As such, the focus heading to the draft looks to be unchanged.
Roster depth allows for flexibility
The lack of net losses the Jaguars have suffered in this early stage of free agency is significant; without breaking the bank, James Gladstone has been able to keep his options open when it comes to draft weekend. In previous years, the Jags have been hamstrung with pressing needs from their early round picks, showing their hand when it came to trade negotiations and forcing it when it came to making a selection. With no glaring deficiency in their roster, it allows the front office to be more flexible when addressing areas of the roster they want to strengthen.
The philosophy of ‘Best Player Available’ is usually the privilege of the select few in the NFL, those teams with solid rosters or the benefit of time on their side. Often, head coaches and/or front offices head into draft weekend knowing they need immediate production from their draft picks in order to be in the same job in twelve months’ time. We’re still very much in the honeymoon period for Gladstone and co, but regardless the front office should be applauded for giving themselves such latitude in their first draft. Selecting fifth overall, there’s the expectation that the team’s first round pick will eventually become a Pro Bowl talent, if not an All-Pro; The draft will always retain the element of a lottery, but opening up the board with these shrewd roster moves has given the Jags the best chance of making this happen.
Playing to the draft’s strengths?
One final aspect to be considered when looking at the early stages of free agency through a draft prism is the depth of talent in the draft class at various positions. One group unaddressed in the last two days is the defensive line - perhaps not as obvious a need for the Jaguars, but certainly a group that came in for criticism in 2024. Trent Baalke splashed out on bringing Arik Armstead to Jacksonville, and perhaps he was misused in Ryan Nielsen’s defense. Hopefully he returns to his devastating best next season. Regardless, the Jags are likely to see Jeremiah Ledbetter find a new home in the coming days, someone who enjoyed more snaps under the previous regime…
Maybe there’s a very good reason why defensive tackle is the only position Gladstone has yet not found a replacement for. Draft experts are excited about the upcoming defensive line group in this year’s class, with PFF ranking five DT’s (Mason Graham - Michigan, Kenneth Grant - Michigan, Derrick Harmon - Oregon, Darius Alexander - Toledo, Walter Nolen - Ole Miss) in their top 25 prospects. Without making assumptions about the new front office’s draft plans, it is a shrewd move to attack weak areas of a draft class in free agency. This foresight allows the board to fall a lot more nicely in your favor on draft weekend, if the areas you want to target are stacked with talent.
Two days into the new league season, there’s still a lot to learn about the new braintrust in Jacksonville. But the early signs look promising.
Source: https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2025/3/13/24384937/how-free-agency-impacts-jaguars-draft-plans
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