The 3 Reasons the Jaguars Will Carry a Large Dead Cap Figure Into 2026

Only three teams have more dead cap than the Jacksonville Jaguars do entering 2026, but there are a few limited reasons why.

Jan 4, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone looks on from the sideline against the Tennessee Titans during the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars have some work to do toward getting their 2026 cap space in order. One big reason why is dead cap.

The Jaguars presently rank No. 4 in the NFL in dead cap entering the 2026 offseason, trailing only the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, and Philadelphia Eagles. And while the Jaguars' $43,863,713 in dead cap space isn't ideal, the Jaguars and James Gladstone have plenty of flexibility moving forward.

With that said, why exactly is the dead cap figure so high for the Jaguars? There are only three reasons why.

Tyson Campbell

Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Tyson Campbell (7) warms up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The biggest dead cap hit the Jaguars have in 2026 is Tyson Campbell, Campbell's dead cap hit isn't historic or anything; it would have ranked just inside the top-10 last year. But his $19.52 million dead cap hit is nearly 6.5% of the cap and ranks as the third-biggest current 2026 cap hit for the Jaguars, behind only Trevor Lawrence and Josh Hines-Allen. Essentially, the Jaguars are on the hook to pay Campbell more to play for the Browns than they are for almost any player to play in Jacksonville.

The Campbell trade was always about opening up a cornerback spot in the short- and long-term after the Jaguars deemed him not a fit. They hardly got any short-term cap relief from the move, but they did improve their draft ammunition and could now get a compensatory pick for Greg Newsome.

Gabe Davis

Jan 11, 2026; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis (13) gestures during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC Wild Card Round game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The second-biggest dead cap hit is set to be former Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis, who is on the books for a $14.6 million hit. This makes up 4.81% of the cap would rank No. 7 for the 2026 Jaguars, behind Lawrence, Hines-Allen, Arik Armstead, Travon Walker, and Patrick Mekari. The Jaguars released Davis after the draft last season in a move that did nothing for them from a cap space perspective, but one that had its reasons.

Had the Jaguars not got out of the Davis deal, he would have taken up a spot on the roster that was better off used elsewhere. The mistake here was signing him, and there was never ever fixing that.

Darnell Savage

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage (6) catches a pass during an NFL training camp session at the Miller Electric Center, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Darnell Savage's dead cap is nowhere near Campbell's and Davis', but it is the third and final one of any consequence. Savage is set to carry a $6.2 million dead cap hit, which is a higher cap hit than names like Logan Cooke, Cole Van Lanen, and all recent draft picks. Savage, like Davis, was a failed 2024 deal that went the wrong direction, and the Jaguars ate some cap space to get out of the deal early.

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