3 Observations on the Jaguars Releasing Foley Fatukasi
The Jacksonville Jaguars began the tough process of trimming their roster and salary cap this week, which meant parting ways with several key veterans.
The first of such releases was defensive lineman Foley Fatukasi, who the Jaguars signed to a three-year, $30 million deal with $20 million in guaranteed money in 2022.
So, what does the Fatukasi release mean moving forward? We break it down below.
Fatukasi was always an expected cut, despite the minimal savings
The Jaguars didn't exactly make a clean break with the Fatukasi release. They saved $3.5 million in cap space but also took a heavy dead cap hit for the 2024 season ($9,269,334). Despite not saving much money by moving on from Fatukasi, team sources indicated even before the 2023 season ended that the Jaguars were likely to move on from the veteran defensive lineman.
Fatukasi certainly flashed during his time in Jacksonville. His Week 1 performance against the Indianapolis Colts was legitimate teach tape in terms of run defense. But Fatukasi was too inconsistent for the Jaguars' liking and the team always felt like there was more they could have gotten out of their big signing. Fatukasi is still a solid player, but for whatever reason it was never coming together on the field for the Jaguars, which is the biggest reason he is no longer on the team.
How can the Jaguars replace Fatukasi?
Even if Fastukasi was a bit of a disappointment in terms of production, the Jaguars still have a hole they now have to fill. Fatukasi played 415 snaps, or 40% of the defensive snaps, a year ago and the Jaguars now need to find a way to replace those snaps. Some of those snaps will go to DaVon Hamilton after he played fewer than 200 last year. Some will go to Tyler Lacy, the 2023 fourth-round pick who should see a bigger role this season.
But ultimately, the Jaguars still need to add to the interior defensive line. This could come in the form of a mid-tier free agent signing like Sheldon Rankins. It could also mean a defensive tackle at No. 17 to take snaps now and then step in as a starter in 2025, or one in the top-100 in general. Look for this to be a position the Jaguars add to.
Where did the Jaguars go wrong in their evaluation?
The biggest question after the Fatukasi release is where did the Jaguars go wrong? It isn't unusual for a big-money free agent to not spend the entirety of their deal with their new team, but the Jaguars obviously would have preferred things worked differently in this case. So, where did the Jaguars miss in their evaluation? Likely in their projected role for Fatukasi.
The Jaguars -- specifically general manager Trent Baalke -- talked up Fatukasi as a three-down lineman after signing him, noting that he had pass-rush value and even untapped potential. But through two seasons, Fatukasi recorded fewer quarterback hits (five) than he did in his final season with the New York Jets (six). The reality is that Fatukasi is a solid run defender and role player, but the Jaguars paid him to be more than that. That is the danger with free agency.
