Jaguars Signing Dawuane Smoot, Trenton Irwin

Jacksonville didn’t address defensive line in the draft, so the Jaguars are turning to their free-agent board. The team is bolstering the position by resigning veteran defensive end Dawuane Smoot, Jacksonville announced Tuesday afternoon.

Smoot, 30, spent his first seven NFL seasons (2017-23) with the Jaguars before signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Bills in 2024. Last season with Buffalo, Smoot played 11 games with four starts. He registered 1½ sacks and five tackles for loss, then played in all three Buffalo playoff games, including the AFC Championship Game.

The veteran figures to see plenty of snaps for the Jaguars while backing up Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. Smoot also reunites with new Jaguars defensive line coach Matt Edwards, who served as Buffalo’s assistant defensive line coach last season when Smoot played for the Bills.

Initially the Jaguars’ third-round selection (68th overall) in the 2017 draft out of Illinois, Smoot helped Jacksonville advance to the AFC title game as a rookie, playing in all 19 games. Primarily a reserve in the defensive-line rotation during his first stint in Jacksonville, he served two seasons as a primary starter (2020-21). He had at least five sacks in each season from 2019-22.

One of the team’s most reliable and consistent linemen, Smoot posted 27 tackles for loss over his first seven years with the Jaguars. He lined up at multiple positions, allowing defensive coordinators to move him inside and outside to take advantage of favorable matchups. Overall, in 110 NFL games, Smoot has 25 career sacks.

Smoot sustained an Achilles’ injury late in the 2022 season and missed the postseason. He returned a month into the 2023 campaign.

Also on Tuesday, the Jaguars signed wide receiver Trenton Irwin and waived wide receiver David White. Irwin comes to Jacksonville after six years with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he posted 601 yards and five touchdowns on 46 receptions. An occasional punt returner, he averaged 8.8 yards on 21 returns for the Bengals.

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