The Jaguars are in a much different salary-cap situation in 2023 compared to last offseason. That will inevitably lead to fewer notable signings during free agency, but also cost-cutting moves leading up to the new league year.
One instance of that will concern cornerback Shaquill Griffin. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Jacksonville will look to find a trade partner for him in the coming days; barring that, he will be released. Moving on from Griffin will mark an end to his two-year stint in Jacksonville.
Griffin is due a base salary of $11.5M in 2023, the final season of a three-year, $40M accord signed in 2021. His scheduled cap hit is $17.1M, however, and no guaranteed money remains on his pact, making him a logical cut candidate. His release will save the Jaguars just over $13M while generating a dead-cap charge of $4M.
The 27-year-old carried high expectations upon his arrival in Jacksonville, given his production in three years with the Seahawks. Griffin earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2019, and was a full-time starter in his two seasons in Duval County. His 2022 campaign was limited to just five games due to a back injury. The former third-rounder was held without an interception during his time as a Jaguar, and he totaled only 11 pass deflections in his 19 games there.
Still, his age and past success will likely allow Griffin to generate a notable market as a free agent. He will find himself near the top of the list of available corners, alongside the likes of James Bradberry and Marcus Peters. In an update that will help his value significantly, Jordan Schultz of the Score reports that Griffin has full received medical clearance.
Once Griffin is off the books, Jacksonville will have roughly $29M in cap space, a figure that will help them retain a shortlist of coveted in-house free agents. That includes tight end Evan Engram, who is reportedly in line for the franchise tag to guarantee his presence on the team for at least 2023 or longer if talks on a multiyear deal proceed according to plan. Jacksonville will, though, need to identify one or more Griffin replacements in free agency and the draft to bolster a secondary that ranked 28th in the league in passing yards allowed in 2022.
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