Jaguars Are NFL’s Only Team in This Category

The Super Bowl teams re-signed their middle linebackers, Nick Bolton and Zack Baun. The Rams re-signed their left tackle. Even the Bears, one of the league’s most active teams this offseason, re-signed multiple players.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are the only NFL club that has yet to re-sign one of its own free agents, per Big Cat Country. It’s likely for a combination of reasons.

One, the team obviously has new leadership in general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen. Two, after Gladstone incinerated the roster over a matter of hours on March 6, and NFL teams acquired a few of the Jaguars’ castaways, Jacksonville’s leftover players obviously aren’t of interest to Gladstone and Coen – at least at the current asking price.

Three, Gladstone and Coen clearly want to spin their own potter’s wheel and shape the Jaguars with players they bring in. Fully transparent, Gladstone has pointed to the draft on multiple occasions as the basis for acquiring and developing impact players.

“We’ve got 10 picks in this year's draft,” Gladstone said. “We're going to have to have some spots that are actually open for them to insert. So, if you add a veteran at this point, could be just standing in the way. We're going to allow these rookies to get a chance to get out on the field and help us this coming fall.”

That means the best player among Jacksonville’s unsigned unrestricted free agents, guard Brandon Scherff, seems to be an odd man out. While he could be a good fit in Seattle, he’s not the type of player the new regime wants in its offensive line. Others are quarterback C.J. Beathard, running back D’Ernest Johnson, tight end Josiah Deguara, linebackers Joe Giles-Harris and Caleb Johnson, and defensive end De’Shaan Dixon.

Perhaps that’ll change after the draft and possibly into training camp, or even the regular season, when injuries tend to reshape roster priorities.

Four of the players Gladstone purged in early March have landed with other teams, including the trade that sent Christian Kirk to Houston. Tight end Evan Engram signed with the Broncos, wide receiver and return specialist Devin Duvernay signed with Chicago, and cornerback Ronald Darby joined Kirk in Houston.

Seven players left Jacksonville as unrestricted free agents. Wide receiver Tim Jones landed in Minnesota, defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter signed with the Giants and safety Andre Cisco signed with the Jets. Defensive end Esezi Otomewo went to Pittsburgh, while tight end Luke Farrell and quarterback Mac Jones signed with San Francisco. Guard Blake Hance signed with Tennessee.

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