3 Observations on Jaguars Signing Dawuane Smoot

The Jacksonville Jaguars made another interesting offseason move on Tuesday, bringing back former long-time veteran defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot.

So, what do we make of Smoot returning to the Jaguars after one year with the Buffalo Bills? We break it down below.

Jaguars have finally made edge depth a priority

After several years of the Jaguars opting to not do enough to fill their edge defender depth chart, it certainly seems James Gladstone is not letting the Jaguars fall into that trap again. Even Smoot has been a part of the team's strange negligence in that area, with the Jaguars' signing of a rehabbing Smoot in 2023 to be their No. 3 edge rusher proving to be a failed plan.

Now, though, Smoot is healthy and won't be relied upon to be the No. 3 guy right out of the gate thanks to the signing of Emmanuel Ogbah earlier this offseason. Spots No. 3 and No. 4 have now been addressed, which is a stark contrast from the 2023 and 2024 offseasons.

Myles Cole has a battle on his hands

Smoot should right away factor into the battle for the No. 4 edge role for the Jaguars' defense. So far through offseason practices, it has appeared that role has been slotted to second-year defensive end Myles Cole. Cole had an instant track to making the roster last year because the Jaguars were concerned another team would pick the seventh-rounder up on waivers. This year is set to be much different.

With Smoot now in the fold, Cole will not be instantly locked to make the roster like he was under the regime that drafted him. The athletic Texas Tech product is going to have to earn his role, and a productive veteran like Smoot seems like the perfect option to push him for the job over the course of training camp.

Jaguars' locker room just improved tenfold

In terms of pure locker room value, there are not many Jaguars who have stood out most over the last six or so years than Dawuane Smoot. After he began to find his role in the NFL in the 2019 season, his confidence on and off the field seemed to skyrocket and the Jaguars were made all the better as a result.

If the Jaguars' goal this offseason was to help flip the culture, then bringing in a culture dynamo like Smoot certainly helps toward that mission. He works hard, has proven and remade himself countless times on the field, and has the production and lengthy NFL career to back it all up. The Jaguars just got better in the locker room.

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