Jaguars Reach Key Milestone in Cap Clearing Journey

Under the Cap

The Jaguars and general manager James Gladstone managed to get in the green when it comes to the cap space, and the Lewis restructure has now put the Jaguars at $2,580,605 in terms of cap space. This means the Jaguars are no longer in a group that consists of just five teams that still have to get cap compliant.

In addition to Lewis, the Jaguars have also restructured deals for offensive lineman Patrick Mekari and safety Eric Murray. All in all, the three moves have saved the Jaguars around $16.82 million in cap space over the span of a few days.

The Jaguars will still need several million dollars in cap space to sign their rookie draft class and undrafted free agents in April. They will also need money to sign any external free agents, as well as any of their own free agents they might want to keep. It remains to be seen who those players could be in all of these categories, but the Jaguars will want options.

With all of that in mind, these moves continue to trend toward the Jaguars not being lavish spenders this week. Perhaps they make a home run swing after two other contenders have with the Baltimore Ravens trading for Maxx Crosby and the Los Angeles Rams trading for Trent McDuffie.

Jaguars general manager James Gladstone proved last year with the Travis Hunter trade that he is willing to make aggressive moves. While the Jaguars don't have a first-round pick or a bounty of cap space to play with this offseason, they will still want to create enough room to give themselves options over the next few weeks and months.

And while Jacksonville still has a lot to do in that regard -- moves that will have to happen over the next couple of days -- they have at least hit a key milestone in their path toward doing so. After a 13-4 season a year ago, the Jaguars know they can't expect to do nothing and replicate their success just because. How they navigate free agency and the draft will determine whether they are able to put it all together.