Column: Could The Jaguars Be Preparing for a Big Move After Recent Cuts?

After a bombardment of cuts, the Jacksonville Jaguars suddenly have a lot of money to spend. Is a significant move incoming?

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manger James Gladstone speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter free agency with more motivation and money than expected after making a handful of moves Thursday as head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone look to make their mark on the current roster.

It all started with a trade. Slot receiver Christian Kirk was initially set to be released before the Jaguars made a rare inter-division trade with the Houston Texans to give their quarterback C.J. Stroud, a go-to target in the slot for just a seventh-round pick.

Later, the team released tight end Evan Engram with a failed physical designation; backup wide receiver Josh Reynolds was also cut along with kick returner Devin Duvernay and cornerback Ronald Darby, who was benched late in the season after struggles on the perimeter.

All of these moves combined saved Jacksonville an estimated $25.75 million in salary cap space, giving them the seventh-highest amount of salary cap in the NFL at over $63.5 million. Overall, the Jaguars have $55.9 million in effective cap space, the true amount of money they can spend on free agents and draft selections this offseason, according to Over The Cap.

When Jaguars fans look at the amount of money available for the team, the automatic assumption is that the franchise could be aggressive in free agency, which poses the question: is Jacksonville poised to make a big splash in free agency or in the trade market?

It's hard to imagine Gladstone being this aggressive less than a month on the job. However, there is a chance he may view the team in a brighter light than others and believes the Jaguars are a couple of pieces away from being perennial playoff contenders. A healthy Trevor Lawrence helps with that a lot but it doesn't absolve the team from being immune to weakness like Patrick Mahomes does in Kansas City.

Jacksonville could be a team in the running for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf as they will look to pair former rookie sensation Brian Thomas Jr. with a quality No. 2 wideout. However, the Jaguars are more likely to use the money they have to sign adequate players at positions of need in free agency as the sense around the team doesn't exactly translate to "win the Super Bowl now."

In future seasons, the Jaguars and Gladstone could be quite aggressive in the trade market if they have turned things around with a post-season berth in 2025. For now, expect them to sit tight and attack free agency.

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