2023 NFL Free Agency: Primer on Jaguars Rumors, Nuggets and More

The 2023 free agency period is set to unofficially kick off on Monday, with the legal tampering period opening at noon and running through 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

In short, players will start agreeing to deals before officially signing them later in the week -- which means the sparks are about to fly throughout the NFL.

The Jaguars helped headline each of the last two free agency periods with massive spending, including a spending spree in 2022 that saw them throw big money at several players on both sides of the ball.

After the 2022 class overcame conventional wisdom and proved to give the Jaguars core veterans for a playoff push, the Jaguars are transitioning this March. Years of spending have led the Jaguars to where they are now: a team that is ready to draft and develop its own players.

"The last two years, we’ve delved heavily into free agency, and we’re at the point now where it’s draft and develop," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said at the NFL Scouting Combine.

"We’ve got a nice core, a nice core of young players. I feel really good about that group, with a good mix of veteran guys with a lot of experience. The whole thing for us now is about the locker room, making sure we keep the locker room where we’ve got it.”

So with free agency just around 24 hours away from kicking off, here are all of our Jaguars nuggets for the big week and what will follow.

Jaguars not expected to be major players, especially early

The Jaguars have essentially beat this drum over and over again over the last several months in public, so it doesn't come as a surprise that the Jaguars are not expected to be major players during the early stages of free agency, if at all. The Jaguars approach will likely be best described as "wait and see", with the team potentially making a run at unsigned players who slipped through the cracks during the first phase of free agency.

This isn't to say the Jaguars haven't done their homework on all aspects of this free-agency class. If the Jaguars had more to spend, players like Zach Allen, Dre'Mont Jones, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson would make a lot of sense. But they do not, and they are looking to establish this year as a year where they are no longer one of the big spenders of an offseason.

Which positions the Jaguars could potentially make additions at

Just because the Jaguars are not expected to be big spenders doesn't mean there aren't positions they still want to try to upgrade this offseason. The Jaguars will still likely look into upgrading several positions in terms of depth, while also having options on hand in terms of bringing back 2022 players to fill their old roles.

Some positions that the Jaguars could potentially add players at before the draft: safety, cornerback and tight end. The Jaguars want to add several cornerbacks this offseason following the release of Shaquill Griffin and the impending free agency of Tre Herndon. While they are unlikely to add anyone beyond a depth piece, the Jaguars double-dipping at cornerback with a veteran free agent and an early draft pick makes sense.

As for safety, some believe that is one position the Jaguars can strengthen entering the 2023 offseason. The Jaguars got good play from starters Andre Cisco and Rayshawn Jenkins in 2022, but there are improvements that could be made behind them. With Andrew Wingard set to be a free agent, the Jaguars could target a veteran safety to replace him.

Then there is tight end, where the Jaguars could look to stand pat since they have Evan Engram back on the franchise tag. They are high on third-year tight end Luke Farrell, but they still need to add bodies to the position since Chris Manhertz and Dan Arnold are both free agents. A cheap veteran who specializes as a blocker makes sense here.

Players who could still come back

Three players who could still end up in the Jaguars' plans even though they are not re-signed as of today: Andrew Wingard, Tre Herndon, and Adam Gotsis. The Jaguars will likely explore ways to upgrade Wingard's No. 3 safety role, but if they do not find a fit then there could be significant interest for both sides for a reunion.

As for Herndon and Gotsis, they are two players who would make sense for the Jaguars to circle back to before the draft. They are more valuable to the Jaguars than to other teams as neither is expected to draw a large market. If the Jaguars can't find other depth pieces they prefer, it would make sense to bring Herndon and Gotsis back.

State of Jawaan Taylor's retainment efforts

As each day passes, it seems more and more likely that Jaguars right tackle Jawaan Taylor will hit free agency. The former second-round pick is held in high regard by other teams and is rumored to have a market that could see him be paid as much as $18 million annually -- which would make him one of the four highest-paid right tackles in the league.

There are still a few things that work in the Jaguars' favor as they attempt to retain Taylor, though. The Jaguars want Taylor back because they want as many pieces from the 2022 offense back as possible, and the Jaguars know Taylor does hold the franchise close to him after four years. Taylor was born in Florida, played college football in Florida, and has spent his entire NFL career in Florida -- that means something.

Plus, Taylor isn't the only right tackle set to get paid. Mike McGlinchey and Kaleb McGary could receiver significant interest from other teams as well, which could potentially drive Taylor's price down long enough for the Jaguars to make a last-ditch effort. It is a long-shot that he returns, but it shouldn't be put at 0% yet.

Can the Jaguars afford to lose Arden Key and Dawuane Smoot?

After Taylor, the two most interesting free agent cases facing the Jaguars are clearly Arden Key and Dawaune Smoot. The duo were arguably the Jaguars' most efficient pass-rushers a year ago, but each is facing a very different situation entering Monday.

The Jaguars want to keep Key, who has also expressed a desire to stay publicly. As a result, they are expected to continue to make efforts to re-sign him over the following days, though they are not alone. Key is seen as an ascending player in the NFL after having career seasons in back-to-back years. He won't fit every team, but he fits enough that his phone will be busy on Monday. The Jaguars want him to stay, but it will likely take winning a bidding war.

As for Smoot, it doesn't look like he will be an early-week addition for either the Jaguars or other teams. Coming off an Achilles injury, Smoot's previous market is no longer in play. He still makes more sense for the Jaguars than any other team, but the sense is that the Jaguars and him are not close to signing a deal.