NEWSLETTER
The Jaguars were one of the surprise teams of 2022 going 9-8 and winning the AFC South. Then, after a miracle comeback vs the Chargers in the Wild Card Round, they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 27-20. They went from the NFL’s worst record last season to a playoff appearance this season and exceeded expectations. Now, it’s about the offseason. Here’s what you need to know about Jaguars free agency this year.
2023 NFL Free Agents Overview for the Jacksonville Jaguars
General manager Trent Baalke has done a stellar job turning the team around since his hiring in 2021. Head coach Doug Pederson was a big part of the team’s jump forward and Trevor Lawrence’s development.
Lawrence threw 25 touchdown passes in 2022. The 2023 offseason will be huge as the team makes decisions on players headed for NFL free agency.
Tight End Evan Engram will be on the market. The Jaguars signed Engram to a one-year deal last March and he ended up having a career year with 766 receiving yards. Several teams will target Evan Engram in free agency.
Offensive right tackle Jawaan Taylor is another important piece that is a free agent. He’s only 25 years old and has four full seasons under his belt.
On the defensive line, defensive ends Dawuane Smoot and Arden Key made their cases to stay with the team. Smoot had a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 16 of the 2022 NFL season. If he’s back in 2023, it would be to start the regular season at the earliest.
Other key players entering the market include cornerback Tre Herndon and safety Andrew Wingard. The Jaguars could consider bringing back Herndon. He was the best nickel corner on the Jaguars last season.
Unrestricted Jaguars Free Agents
To be an unrestricted free agent, there are a couple of qualifications. An NFL player must have four or more years of experience and their contract has to have expired or been voided. They can negotiate with any team without any restrictions or draft-choice compensation. Here’s a list of impending free agents for the Jaguars who are unrestricted.
Quarterbacks
None.
Running Backs
None.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Dan Arnold – TE
Evan Engram – TE
Marvin Jones – WR
Chris Manhertz – TE
Centers, Guards, and Tackles
Brandon Murphy – T
Jawaan Taylor – RT
Defensive Tackles, Defensive Ends, Edge Rushers
Adam Gotsis – DE
Arden Key – DE
Cory Peters DT
Dawuane Smoot – DE
Linebackers
None.
Cornerbacks and Safeties
Tre Herndon – CB
Andrew Wingard – S
Special Teams
None.
Restricted Free Agents
A restricted free agent is a player who has played for three or fewer accrued seasons and has an expiring contract. The team can assign a tender to the player, which allows them to match any offer the player receives from other teams. The team receives draft compensation if the player signs elsewhere.
2023 NFL restricted free agents for the Jaguars:
Blake Hance – T (exclusive restricted free agent)
Riley Patterson – K (exclusive restricted free agent)
Salary Cap and Roster
Cap space might be tight according to projections by Spotrac, but the Jaguars are lucky they don’t have many impending free agents. The NFL salary cap is set at $224.8 million for 2023.
Wide receiver Christian Kirk commands the biggest cap hit at $23 million next season. Left tackle Cam Robinson is a $22.1 million cap hit while guard Brandon Scherff comes in at $20 million. Robinson and Scherff are expected to become free agents in 2025.
Jaguars fans will have high expectations for the 2023 season. Will the Jaguars be a title contender in 2023? They shocked the NFL world during the 2022 season after they went on a 6-1 run down the stretch and won an AFC South crown. The Jaguars want to carry that success over with Trevor Lawrence still on his rookie contract.
Jaguars Free Agency 2023 FAQs
NFL free agency will commence on March 15, 2023. It begins at 4 p.m. eastern time. The date signifies the start of the new league year and the end of all player contracts. Many players are set to hit the market and gain free agency status.
An unrestricted free agent is a player whose contract has expired, and they have no ties to their former team. Starting on March 15, they are free to negotiate with any team in the league without restrictions.
A restricted free agent can be extended what is called a qualifying offer. If offered, they are still allowed to negotiate with other teams around the league. Their current team is allowed to match any offer.
The top free agents for the Jaguars include tight end Evan Engram, cornerback Tre Herndon, and offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor. The Jaguars also lose key defensive linemen.
