Key departures shake up the Jaguars' secondary, but new talent is arriving to redefine their defensive identity.
The Jacksonville Jaguars experienced major turnover on defense during the early stages of free agency.
The NFL's top run defense last year and the league's second-ranked ball-hawking secondary has lost linebacker Devin Lloyd, its co-leader in interceptions, and starting safety Andrew Wingard, who reportedly is set to sign a one-year, $3 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals.
The Carolina Panthers swayed Lloyd to Winston-Salem with a three-year contract worth a reported $45 million.
At the same time, the Jags committed to cornerback Montaric "Buster" Brown for three years and an estimated $33 million and linebacker Dennis Gardeck, who on Monday agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal.
Lloyd and Wingard were drafted and developed by the Jags, becoming staples of Jacksonville's defensive schemes.
Lloyd spent his first four NFL seasons with the Jaguars, tallying nine total interceptions and 436 tackles. He was named to second-team All-Pro last season, while becoming the second player in the last 20 years to have at least 10 quarterback hits and five picks in a season -- the first since Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker and future Hall-of-Famer Lavonte David in 2013.
Wingard, who was with the Jags for seven seasons, went undrafted before carving out a significant role with Jacksonville. During his tenure, Wingard racked up 346 tackles and six interceptions, but his emotional impact carried far beyond the on-field numbers.
Wingard, called "Dewey" by teammates and fans alike, rallied the troops in 2023 by shouting, "It was always the Jags!" into a camera as the team headed into the locker room after a win over the Tennessee Titans that December. The moment was credited with igniting a five-game win streak to close out that regular season.
The quote ended up on t-shirts, towels and all over the internet and added to the team's emotional momentum that helped push the Jags to a playoff berth.
"To see one of my quotes rally the troops and get us into the playoffs," Wingard said later. "Maybe that's why God had me here."
Despite the gut-punch departures of Lloyd and Wingard, the Jaguars cemented other young talent by locking in Brown and keeping him in Jacksonville through 2028.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Brown "would have had a strong market in free agency, but didn't want to leave Jacksonville."
He was one of the most impressive players on the Jags defense last season, dominating on the outside and in zone coverage.
Brown's 69.6 allowed passer rating on the outside ranked fourth in the NFL, while his 45.8 allowed passer rating in zone coverage stood alone, beating out Houston Texans All-Pro defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. by nearly three whole points.
Brown is part of a young core of scary-good Jaguars defensive backs that include starters Eric Murray, Jarrian Jones, and Antonio Johnson, led by superstar and former Heisman winner Travis Hunter, who is expected to play both receiver and cornerback next season, with more focus on defense.
Caleb Ransaw, who sat out his rookie season after undergoing foot surgery during training camp, is expected to return to the Jags' secondary as a safety.
Johnson, entering his fourth season, tied Lloyd for the team leader in interceptions in 2025, with five.
Gardeck and Wingard seemingly switched places, as Gardeck left the Cardinals after seven years with the franchise. In his first season with Jacksonville, Gardeck served mostly on special teams, but expanded his responsibilities as the season went on.
At times, Gardeck ended up being used as an outside rusher, finishing with nine quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks. With Lloyd's departure, Gardeck will likely pick up an even larger role, serving as the Jaguars' ball hawk and quarterback of the defense.
Luckily, Gardeck has shown ability to rack up tackles as well, notching a career-high 48 in his first season in Jacksonville.
Although the Jaguars were not able to bring back Lloyd and Wingard, they are looking to the future in their rash of defensive re-signings as they work to build on what they achieved last season.
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