Patriots Reach Agreements With Two Potential Jaguars Free Agent Targets in Jonnu Smith, Matthew Judon

The New England Patriots are coming off of a lackluster season but are already making a splash in free agency. And in a surreptitious throwback to 2017, have potentially stolen some pieces from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Given the Jags needs and the roster gaps that Head Coach Urban Meyer has spoken to, Tennessee Titans tight end Jonnu Smith and Baltimore Ravens defensive end/outside linebacker Matthew Judon were both names high on the watch list for many when it came to the Jaguars.

Yet both agreed to deals with the Patriots before midday Monday. Monday is the beginning of what the league calls a “negotiating period.” As the league office explains it, beginning “12:00 p.m. ET on Monday, March 15 until 3:59:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 17, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon expiration of their 2020 player contracts at 4:00 p.m. ET on March 17.”

Shortly after noon on the East coast Monday, Smith agreed to a 4-year, $50 million deal with $31.25 guaranteed, per his agent to ESPN. A little over an hour later, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported the Patriots were signing Judon as a pass rusher. ESPN’s Adam Schefter followed up the report with details: a 4-year, $56 million deal with $32 million guaranteed.

According to Schefter, the Patriots have already agreed to more money in free agency than any other free agency time in their history.

The Patriots keep on spending money. They've agreed to terms with former Baltimore Ravens EDGE Matt Judon on a 4-year, $56 million deal (via @TomPelissero)

Here's what @TampaBayTre had to say about the free agency fit for New England.#FrontOffice33 | #NFLFreeAgency | #GoPats pic.twitter.com/6khYGPnkoA
— The Draft Network (@TheDraftNetwork) March 15, 2021

Smith was dominant in the redzone for the Titans, where a big body is most needed. Smith—at 6-3, 248—was fourth in the league in 2020 with his eight touchdowns. He posted career best in receptions (41), yards (448) and touchdowns (8) last season.

Meyer said on March 9 of the Jaguars offense, “the tight end room, that’s a room that’s going to have to be rebuilt in some ways.” The Jaguars reportedly declined the option on Tyler Eifert, who came over for one year from the Cincinnati Bengals last offseason. And veteran James O’Shaughnessy is set to become a free agent, with no deal reportedly on the table from the Jags.

Judon had six sacks on the season (tied for 31st among edge rushers during the season) with 42 total tackles—29 solo and 13 assisted. He had 39 total quarterback pressures, with 15 hits and 18 hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. His six sacks led the Ravens and Judon was named to the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row.

Judon has averaged 7.4 sacks a season since joining the league in 2016 and forced seven career fumbles in that time.

What made Judon such an intriguing idea for the Jags was his versatility. In 2020, he lined up outside and standing up, inside and with a hand in the ground, on the line and off. He flashed a swim move to get under offensive linemen as well as just a pure power rush to muscle his way into the backfield.

Meyer has said on record he wants to build a team starting with the defensive line. While Judon isn’t an interior guy, his presence on the edge can change the front-seven.

With Smith and Judon now both with the Patriots, the Jaguars will move forward with other options. As for the tight end room, there is a duo to watch on the West coast; Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry or Los Angeles Rams tight end Gerald Everett, among others. Under the franchise tag in 2020, Henry was 12th amongst tight ends with 613 yards, and eighth in targets (87) and receptions (60). He helped quarterbacks to a 99.4 rating when targeted while accounting for three drops.

The Los Angels Rams tight end, Everett, doesn’t have the name recognition of Henry or Smith but his numbers have inched towards much the same. Taken in the second round of the 2017 draft (higher than Smith) he’s spent the past four years in Sean McVay’s scheme. In the 2020 season, he saw a career-high in targets, receptions (41) and yards (417).

The Jaguars began the day with just under $73 million in cap space, according to overthecap.com but have agreed to terms with defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris ($24.4 million), wide receiver/returner Jamal Agnew and safety Rudy Ford ($4.2 million).