Another veteran edge rushing name came off the list of available free agents Monday, dropping the number of options available for teams looking to add in that department. For the time being, the Jaguars are not one of them.
Jacksonville has room for improvement in terms of production from its edge group after the team ranked 25th in the league with 35 sacks in 2022. Head coach Doug Pederson has acknowledged the need for the team’s defensive front to take a step forward, but that will likely not involve an outside addition.
When asked about the Leonard Floyd's deal with the Bills, Pederson said, “he’s a good player and guys are gonna get scooped up, but, listen, you can’t just jump in the first thing that’s there," via Mia O’Brien of 1010 XL. “Obviously, somebody has to fit your roster and fit your structure financially. There’s going to be guys probably going into training camp, there’s going to be guys coming out of training camp that we’ll take a look at but those are all things for conversations down the road.”
The Jaguars have made a number of high-end investments on the edge via the draft in recent years. They first-round picks on Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson in 2019 and 2020, respectively, though the latter’s future with the organization is up in the air. Jacksonville made Travon Walker the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, adding further to the young elements of the team’s pass rush who will likely be counted on in the short- and long-term future.
With respect to free agency, the only development on the Jacksonville front which has taken place at the OLB spot has been the departure of Arden Key, who signed a three-year, $21M deal with the Titans. Replacing his production and playing time will largely fall to the team’s in-house options, which includes another draft investment from this pat April. The Jaguars used a fourth-round pick on Oklahoma State product Tyler Lacey, who should have a path to at least a rotational role especially if no free agents are added before the season.
Jacksonville will certainly have a number of options to choose from if they do elect to go the veteran route, though. The likes of Frank Clark, Justin Houston and Jadeveon Clowney are still on the market deep into the offseason. The Jaguars could land an experienced depth option later in the summer, but their patient approach is set to continue for the foreseeable future.
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