The Jacksonville Jaguars signed wide receiver Gabe Davis in free agency, handing him a three-year, $39 million deal that surprised some people.
It seemed like a lot of money for a receiver who crested 800 yards once in his career, and the fact that the Jaguars lost fellow wide out Calvin Ridley in the process made the contract look even worse.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay lists the Jaguars’ signing of Davis as one of the most questionable moves of free agency, noting that Davis will have to fill a role to which he is not accustomed.
Davis spent the first four years of his career with the Buffalo Bills as the team’s No. 2 receiver behind Stefon Diggs, who made the Pro Bowl in each of his first seasons as Davis’ teammate.
The 24-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Central Florida, was selected by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
He had a decent rookie campaign, catching 35 passes for 599 yards and seven touchdowns. He posted nearly identical numbers during his sophomore season, registering 35 catches for 549 yards and six scores.
Then, in his third season, Davis enjoyed a breakout year of sorts, hauling in 48 receptions for 836 yards while reaching the end zone seven times. He also averaged an impressive 17.4 yards per catch.
Davis’ production stagnated in 2023, as he finished with 45 grabs for 746 yards and seven touchdowns.
While his numbers are hardly bad, they are not quite what you would expect from a receiver making $13 million annually, and given that his partner will be Christian Kirk, who is not really a true No. 1 guy, it makes you wonder just how Jacksonville’s aerial attack will fare next season.
Davis certainly has big-play ability, but his inconsistency was frustrating for Bills fans, and it’s hard to imagine him shaking that with the Jags.
Perhaps the Jaguars thought they would also be able to re-sign Ridley when they inked Gabe Davis to that deal.
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