3 Jaguars cut candidates entering 2026 offseason

The Jaguars’ 2025 season was a historic turnaround. The team rocketed from a 4-13 record the previous year to a dominant 13-4 finish. Under first-year head coach Liam Coen and Gladstone, Jacksonville captured its third AFC South title. They also posted their most wins since 1999.

Trevor Lawrence’s offensive surge was the engine behind the leap. Lawrence eclipsed 4,000 passing yards while orchestrating one of the AFC’s most efficient passing attacks. Travis Etienne Jr complemented that aerial firepower with over 1,100 rushing yards. This gave Jacksonville the balance required to sustain long winning stretches.

Special teams delivered its own slice of history, highlighted by Cam Little’s record-breaking 68-yard field goal. That was an iconic moment in a season filled with statement performances.

Momentum halted, identity solidified

Despite riding an eight-game winning streak into the postseason, Jacksonville’s playoff run ended in heartbreak.

Hosting the Buffalo Bills at EverBank Stadium in the Wild Card round, the Jaguars fell 27-24 in a razor-thin contest. The loss stung. However, it did not erase the foundation built across the season.

Defensively, Jacksonville forged a new identity under coordinator Anthony Campanile. Pro Bowler Devin Lloyd emerged as the centerpiece of a fast, opportunistic unit that thrived on takeaways and sideline-to-sideline speed.

The early exit served less as a collapse and more as a checkpoint. It signaled that the Jaguars had arrived but still needed roster refinement to finish the job.

Free agency priorities

The Jaguars enter 2026 balancing ambition with arithmetic. They currently sit about $13.9 million over the cap. As such, Gladstone must create flexibility while preserving core talent. The most pressing dilemma centers on linebacker Devin Lloyd. His All-Pro caliber season positions him for a massive payday.

Beyond linebacker, the interior defensive line requires reinforcement. Veterans like Arik Armstead showed signs of decline. Meanwhile, the team still seeks a true game-wrecking tackle to complement Josh Hines-Allen.

Offensively, the interior line remains a vulnerability. Protecting an MVP-finalist quarterback like Lawrence is non-negotiable. That means upgrades at guard and center are inevitable.

DT Arik Armstead

This is the production vs. price debate. Armstead remains a respected veteran presence. He contributed 5.5 sacks during Jacksonville’s 13-win campaign. However, at 33 years old, his impact waned late in the season as snap counts and durability concerns surfaced.

Armstead’s contract structure makes him the most consequential decision on this list. A pre-June 1 release yields minimal relief. That would roughly be $2.2 million due to heavy dead money. However, a post-June 1 designation would clear a massive $14.4 million for 2026. That figure alone could fund multiple extensions or free agent additions.

If Jacksonville prioritizes long-term deals for stars like Lloyd or Etienne, reallocating resources from an aging interior lineman becomes logical, even if painful.

LB Foyesade Oluokun

Few players embody Jacksonville’s defensive culture like Oluokun. A tackling machine and locker-room leader, “Foye” has been the emotional backbone of the unit since arriving. Cutting him would resonate far beyond the stat sheet.

The age and contract realities are paramount, though. Oluokun turns 31 before the 2026 season. At that age, off-ball linebackers historically begin declining athletically. A pre-June 1 release saves about $2.5 million. While not massive, the savings matter for a team operating in deficit territory.

Younger options like Ventrell Miller and Jack Kiser flashed developmental upside in 2025. If Lloyd is extended as the long-term centerpiece, Jacksonville may opt to get younger-and cheaper-alongside him.

OL Patrick Mekari

Mekari was signed to provide multi-positional insurance across the offensive line. Sure, he filled gaps during injuries. However, his performance graded closer to serviceable than impactful.

For a team protecting an MVP-level quarterback, “adequate” may not justify his salary. Releasing Mekari post-June 1 would free approximately $3.5 million. That’s valuable mid-tier savings that could be redirected toward interior upgrades.

Wyatt Milum emerged as a credible rotational option, while Ezra Cleveland remains entrenched at left guard. Jacksonville may prefer to invest in a more dominant starter via the draft or free agency rather than maintain Mekari’s cap number.

Cap discipline and the next leap

Championship windows don’t close because teams lack talent. They close because teams mismanage timing and money.

For Jacksonville, releasing Arik Armstead, Foyesade Oluokun, and Patrick Mekari would generate the financial oxygen required to retain cornerstone players and reinforce roster weak points.

None of the decisions would be easy. All, however, would be consequential. Now, if the Jaguars want their 13-win breakthrough to become the norm rather than the peak, cap discipline, not sentiment, must guide the 2026 offseason blueprint.