Jaguar Report

Teal Toast: James Gladstone Incinerates Jaguars Roster in 3 Hours

Team saved nearly $42 million with six transactions on Thursday
Zak Gilbert|
Oct 19, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Banners of Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17), wide receiver Christian Kirk (13), quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16), linebacker Foyesade Oluokun (23) and defensive end Arik Armstead (91) on Olympic Way at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Banners of Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17), wide receiver Christian Kirk (13), quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16), linebacker Foyesade Oluokun (23) and defensive end Arik Armstead (91) on Olympic Way at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Jacksonville Jaguars

Apparently, James Gladstone was serious at his Feb. 25 press conference when he said he wasn’t worried about getting a late start. Over the course of three hours on Thursday, he incinerated the Jaguars’ roster.

Four days before the legal tampering period opens Monday, the new general manager freed up at least $41.8 million in cap space.

First, after advertising that Jacksonville would release wide receiver Christian Kirk, Gladstone instead sent him to the Texans for a seventh-round pick in 2026.

Entering the final season of the four-year, $72 million deal he signed with the Jaguars in 2022, Kirk was scheduled to account for $24.4 million on Jacksonville’s cap. Gladstone also recouped the same pick he and Les Snead sent to Houston from the Rams in the Ben Skowronek trade. Kirk wasn’t the only pass-catcher to leave the Jaguars on Thursday.

Jacksonville also released tight end Evan Engram ($5.985 million in cap savings), wide receiver Josh Reynolds ($4.26 million) and wide receiver and return specialist Devin Duvernay ($2.73 million). On the defensive side, Gladstone released cornerback Ronald Darby to save another $2.38 million.

Thursday began with center Mitch Morse announcing his retirement, which according to Over the Cap will save the Jaguars $2.2 million if the transaction is processed now and not designated a post-June 1 move.

Together, the moves appear to signal the Jaguars subscribing to the draft-and-develop model, similar to the roster-building philosophy to which the Rams pivoted after winning the Super Bowl in 2021. In other words, don’t be surprised to see the Jaguars letting other teams spend big dollars next week in free agency while Jacksonville focuses on its bevy of draft picks.

Six veterans left the roster in one day. And in just two weeks on the job, Gladstone has clearly shown the Jaguars aren’t using their late start as an excuse.

“Our group has already been off to the races, so I'm onboarding in real time,” Gladstone said at his introductory press conference Feb. 24. “We're meeting with the coaching staff and scouting staff here this week at the combine and we'll have a lot of deep discussions around how we'll approach pro free agency throughout this week. That's not honestly atypical. That's what a lot of people do. So, we're not behind in any way, shape or form.”

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Zak Gilbert
ZAK GILBERT

Since his freshman year at the University of Colorado, Zak Gilbert has worked 30 years in sports, including 18 NFL seasons. He's spent time with four NFL teams, serving as head of communications for both the Raiders and Browns. A veteran of nine Super Bowls, he most recently worked six seasons in the NFL's New York league office.

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