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Sep 21, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone on the field during pregame against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images Travis Register-Imagn Images

3 Potential Cap-Saving Measures Jaguars Could Make

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By John Shipley | Last updated Jan 13, 2026 12:00 PM ET

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are officially in the offseason.

The Jaguars had a fantastic 2025 season, but it came to an end with a loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round. Now, the Jaguars must look ahead and find new ways to provide the roster with an influx of talent to sustain success for years to come.

As things stand today, the Jaguars have around $7.695 million in available cap space ahead of free agency in March. Considering the Jaguars will need room to sign their draft picks and perhaps bring back some of their own free agents, the Jaguars will have to make cap-saving measures in some ways.

There are a variety of ways to do so, such as trades, restructures, post- and pre-June 1st cuts. In this space, we will look at which players have contracts that the Jaguars could release to save cap space. This isn't to say we are advocating for any such moves, but on paper these are three they could make.

TE Johnny Mundt

Travis Register-Imagn Images

The Jaguars signed Johnny Mundt to a two-year, $5.5 million deal last March after he had stops with the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings in similar offenses and familiar coaches. Mundt finished the season with nine catches on 19 targets for 111 yards and appearing in 16 games. Mundt was fine for the role he was signed to play, but it certainly feels like this is one position the Jaguars could explore upgrades at.

The math on moving on from Mundt is the same regardless of if it is a post- or pre-June 1st release. The Jaguars would save $2,735,294 while taking on $500,000 in dead cap. Is Mundt's spot on the roster worth roughly $2 million? That is what the Jaguars may have to configure.

DL Arik Armstead

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

An important piece of the Jaguars' defense this season, Armstead was one of the NFL's most productive pass-rushing defensive tackles during the first few months of the season. A hand injury played a role for Armstead's end of the season, and it became clear on Sunday how badly they could have used him at 100%.

It would not make much sense to even consider moving off Armstead's deal without some kind of plan in place along the defensive line. The Jaguars are already losing a few veterans up front, and Armstead is far and away their best and most impactful interior rusher. With that in mind, the Jaguars would save $14,485,294 with a post-June 1st cut and take up $4,900,000 in dead money. A pre-June 1st move isn't feasible,

OL Ezra Cleveland

Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The drafting of Wyatt Milum in the third-round last year suggests the Jaguars could pave an easier path for him to the starting lineup. Ezra Cleveland had a good season for the Jaguars, displaying impressive toughness throughout the season. Milum, though, was drafted to be the future.

Another player who only makes sense as a post-June 1st move, the Jaguars would save $7,750,000 in cap space if they moved on from Cleveland in this fashion, while taking on $2,200,000 in dead cap. Like the other two moves, this isn't one the Jaguars have to make, but it is one of several options on hand.

This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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