The Jacksonville Jaguars began the tough process of trimming their roster and salary cap this week, which meant parting ways with several key veterans.
After Foley Fatukasi, the next of such releases was cornerback Darious Williams, who the Jaguars signed to a three-year, $30 million deal in 2022 that included $18 million guaranteed.
So, what does the Williams release mean moving forward? We break it down below.
The Williams move was foreshadowed once Ryan Nielsen was hired
It is ... surprising how many people pushed back against the idea of a Darious Williams release this offseason. He had a terrific season in 2023 and was the Jaguars' second-best defender after Josh Allen, but all of this became a moot point for several reasons. Williams' age was one factor considering he is near the age where cornerbacks start declining. The money was a factor, too, since the Jaguars saved over $10 million with the move.
With this in mind, the biggest reason Williams won't be a Jaguar next year is because of his fit, or lack thereof, in Ryan Nielsen's scheme. Williams is best as an off-coverage cornerback who can play with his eyes on the quarterback. Nielsen's scheme demands its cornerbacks to press receivers at the line of scrimmage and play with their back to the quarterback. Williams isn't, and has never been, this type of cornerback.
Expect at least one veteran CB addition
The free agent cornerback group isn't exactly star-studded, but the Jaguars should still be expected to invest in at least on veteran cornerback. The Jaguars can't afford to go into the draft without any contingency plans to replace Williams' veteran presence in a secondary that will feature a second-year safety and likely a rookie cornerback.
If anything, the bare minimum for the Jaguars in free agency should be for them to add a cornerback. They could certainly add more than one, too, since they have a hole in the slot as well as on the outside. In short, the Jaguars need to sign one, but they could stand to reason to sign multiple.
What does this mean for No. 17?
It is far too early to lock in any specific player or position to the Jaguars at No. 17 overall. Free agency will help point the direction the Jaguars go in, especially considering they may have a huge hole at wide receiver by the time the draft comes around. With that said, though, it is obvious that cornerback is at least on the table.
As things stand today, Christian Braswell and Monatric Brown are the only cornerbacks under contract for the 2025 season. The Jaguars will obviously hope for a bounceback season and a potential extension for Tyson Campbell, and all signs point to Gregory Junior returning. But that is a cornerback depth chart that could easily handle a veteran free agent addition and a cornerback at No. 17. Offensive tackle was the obvious need for the Jaguars in last year's first round. As things stand today, cornerback is the same way.
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