2022 NFL Draft: Trent Baalke Explains the Jaguars' UDFA Strategy

Which undrafted free agents have signed with the Jaguars so far?

If there is one area the Jacksonville Jaguars have consistently proven themselves in over the last decade, it is scouting the undrafted free agent pool. 

Each year there are talented players who fall out of the draft, and each year the Jaguars identify young and athletic talent, with several making big impacts over the years.

This year, the Jaguars are hoping to once again use the undrafted free agent group to supplement their drafted talent, giving them a healthy mix of veterans and rookies entering the summer. 

"We completely follow the board because it’s too hard not to. It’s stacked. You’re trying to get the best available players," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said on Saturday about the efforts in free agency for undrafted prospects. "We’re trying to stick with the theme that we’ve had this entire time, getting guys that are high character guys, guys that have been healthy and available, and guys that can come in and compete for at least a practice squad spot if not higher.

"All these guys come in with a dream. You don’t want to put a cap or a restriction on what they can become. You try to sell the limit to them. They’re not coming here to hopefully make a practice squad, they’re coming here to compete for a roster spot and you have to make them believe they can and you should give them that. They’ve worked awful hard to get to that point and we’ve seen the success that a lot of these undrafted free agents have had not only in Jacksonville, but in the league as a whole. So, I never put a ceiling or a cap on anyone’s ability.”

What kind of players exactly will Baalke and the Jaguars target this time around? Baalke said on Saturday that he would aim for bigger and longer athletes and players with speed, which was also an emphasis throughout the team's draft on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

"I think you never have enough big bodies. You’re always searching for big bodies. You’re always searching for speed, so we’re combing," Baalke said. "The board is set obviously and we’re working off the board right now. If we have players, the higher rated they were on our board, if they’re still available then we’re willing to spend to get those players. It’s a very competitive period right now. 

:You have 32 teams scrambling. There’s some teams looking for 30 plus guys to fill their roster. There’s other teams looking for less than that. So right now, the guys are down there, the scouts and coaches, making calls and trying to fill these spots. We know exactly how many guys we want to bring in at each position to fill the 90-man roster, so that’s what we’re currently doing.”