Will Jaguars' Devin Lloyd Rise to the Challenge?

The Jaguars have a lot of tough calls to make when it comes to personnel decisions.

With a new staff led by Liam Coen setting up shop in Northern Florida, there are a few veterans looking for a second contract in Jacksonville that need to shine in 2025 or seek shelter in other locales in the National Football League. A former Round 1 selection, Devin Lloyd, is one of the guys who have a lot to play for in 2025.

On a recent episode of SI's, "Jacksonville Jaguars Insider Podcast", John Shipley listed his three Jaguars players with the most pressure on them in 2025. Running Back Travis Etienne was the offensive skill player on the ledger. Etienne has an expiring deal after 2025. On defense, another former No. 1 with no deal after the season concludes, is Lloyd.

"No. 2 in terms of Jaguars facing pressure, I think Devin Lloyd. Devin Lloyd, obviously another guy in a contract year, like Etienne, a former first-round pick but from a previous regime. This regime has nothing in terms of ties and connections to him. This isn’t the regime that drafted him or developed him for his first couple of years. To them, he’s a fourth-year, contract-year veteran, who I think you know, is clearly set to start along Foye Oluokun once again," Shipley noted. "But can he produce and can he fit the scheme that they're looking for to want them to invest in him past this season?"

"If the Jaguars were to keep Devin Lloyd, it wouldn’t be very cheap, I would imagine. He’s been a relatively productive player, at least the last two seasons. I'd say his rookie year was probably his roughest. He has that former first-round pick pedigree. I don’t think that he’s gonna be necessarily a cheap contract in free agency or even for an extension. So, can he put the tape out there this year to convince a brand new regime, a brand new coaching staff that he is deserving of them to kind-of tether themselves to? That is the big question, and I do think that he'll get the chance."

"I think he's going to get to start and obviously have a big role in Anthony Campanile's scheme. He does some things that some of the other linebackers on the roster can’t. From a pure height, weight, speed standpoint. His length obviously. He’s the best athlete that the Jaguars have at linebacker, and of course, he now has three years of mostly starting experience. A motivated Devin Lloyd, now knowing that he's in a contract year. Maybe that could be what spurs him to have a really breakout year".

"So, I do think there’s a lot of pressure on him, you know. I've said before, I can see a scenario that even if he does have a really good year, maybe they don’t bring him back. I think that would have a lot less to do with Devin Lloyd and a lot more to deal with how they view the linebacker position. But that’s something that you know, like I said, I think Lloyd will be a really good litmus test for this Jaguar regime and how they view linebackers. It's something that's gonna come down the road, obviously after this upcoming season. So, a lot of pressure right now on Devin Lloyd."

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