Will the Jacksonville Jaguars keep their star linebacker or lose him to cap-rich contenders?
The Jacksonville Jaguars are two days out from the start of free agency. After the restructuring of some contracts, the Jaguars are now salary-cap compliant after the restructuring and re-signing of cornerback Jourdan Lewis.
Jacksonville has several defensive players headed to the free-agent market, notably linebacker Devin Lloyd and cornerback Montaric Brown.
The team also is expected to restructure other player contracts in the coming days to continue to create enough cap space to possibly find players to fill the expected voids left if Lloyd and Brown sign elsewhere.
LB Devin Lloyd
As an All-Pro for the Jaguars in 2025, Lloyd was the heart of the defense for a team that enjoyed one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history, from a worst of four wins in 2024 to 13 victories last season and appearing in the playoffs. One of the best in the league at his position, Lloyd saved his best for the final year of his first contract.
Lloyd totaled 81 tackles, six tackles for loss, seven passes defended and five interceptions. One of those INTs was returned for 99 yards for a score. The Jaguars declined to franchise tag Lloyd, so he is free to walk in free agency, unless of course he and the Jags hammer out some kind of deal that keeps him in the teal and black.
The latter is not likely, and there are teams lined up that need a talented linebacker. The Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, and the New England Patriots all have a war chest overflowing with cash that could lure Lloyd to their sidelines. The Jags, their fans, and the pro football world, will find out in the next couple of days.
CB Montaric Brown
Which NFL team would consider signing a free-agent backup cornerback who intercepted two passes and posted 12 passes defended for the Jaguars in 2025? For starters, the Philadelphia Eagles. Defensive back is a position of great need for the Eagles, but they do not want to spend a ton of money in the process.
Brown earned a 75.5 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 14th among 114 qualifying corners.
Enter Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown.
Philadelphia slotted both Adoree' Jackson and Kelee Ringo in their No. 2 cornerback role in 2025, but neither worked all that well, according to Eagles Roundtable's Matthew Schmidt.
Jackson too is headed into free agency. (Ringo is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract with Philly.) The Eagles traded for Jaire Alexander last season, then he promptly retired from football. In addition, the Eagles failed to sign any helpful talent off waivers.
In his four seasons in Jacksonville, Brown averaged seven starts per season. Last season, he posted 51 total tackles and held opposing quarterbacks to a 55.9-percent completion rate and allowed just three touchdowns in pass coverage. Brown’s market value could command a three-year deal worth $30 million, with $15 million fully guaranteed, according to Spotrac projections.
Next week should be interesting to see how the Jaguars re-sign key contributors and free up more money under the salary cap to bring in talented free agents.
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