Jaguars Sign Roy Robertson-Harris to 3-Year Extension

Jacksonville is keeping the band back together this offseason.

After retaining C.J. Beathard and restructuring Foyesade Oluokun, the Jaguars made another move on Saturday by signing defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris to a three-year extension.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the deal is for three years and totals up to $30 million. Robertson-Harris signed a three-year, $23.4 million deal with $14 million in guarantees in the 2021 offseason.

The #Jaguars have agreed to a three-year, $30 million extension with DL Roy Robertson-Harris, source says. A free-agent signing two years ago, Robertson-Harris gets an extension after being a force on the defensive line for Jacksonville late in the season. pic.twitter.com/A4eq7ebNur
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 25, 2023

Robertson-Harris was critical for the Jaguars' pass-rush down the stretch of the season, recording three sacks, seven tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits in the Jaguars' final five games, including a four-tackle for loss performance against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card Round.

The deal ensures the veteran defensive lineman will stay in Jacksonville for at least the next several seasons after he looked like a potential cap causality with a cap hit over $10 million. Cutting Robertson-Harris pre- or post-June 1st would have created $7,800,000 in savings, while also having the Jaguars on the hook for a $2,333,334 dead cap hit. Instead, the Jaguars are pushing Robertson-Harris' cap hit down the line and keeping the athletic defensive lineman as a key piece of their defense.

As things stand today, Robertson-Harris is one of the Jaguars' top interior players and one of their two best interior pass-rushers when you factor in Dawuane Smoot's injury. If the Jaguars don't retain Arden Key, then Robertson-Harris quickly becomes the Jaguars' top interior pass-rusher.

“He’s been huge. You look at it, when we lost Smoot, Smoot was such a big part of the defense, the pass rush, just being able to play the run from a different body type. I think Roy has jumped into that role now," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said after the Wild Card round.

"He’s able to help us out on third down, as well as first and second down. He’s been a big part of that pass rush and that pressure package, being able to sustain.”