How the Jaguars Should Approach the 2026 Offseason

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars have a critical offseason ahead of them, but they have the leaders they need to navigate it.

Jaguars general manager James Gladstone has some tough decisions to make and paths to forge over the next several months, but most signs point to the Jaguars going through their offseason with one focus. We discuss this and more in today's episode of the Jacksonville Jaguars Insider Podcast.

To watch today's episode, view below.

For Gladstone and the Jaguars, comparisons to the Los Angeles Rams will never stop. The Jaguars clearly do things their own way and put their own spin on their football operations and decisions, but many of their core philosophies are rooted in the same ideas that built the Rams during the Les Snead and Sean McVay era.

In the early stages of the Rams' building years, the Snead and McVay duo had a clear direction each offseason. They would let many of their own internal free agents depart each March, while re-signing core pieces who they did not want to leave their ecosystem. Look at the Jaguars' early extensions for Jakobi Meyers and Cole Van Lanen as two examples.

As for the other free agents, the Rams would let many walk. While the Jaguars have names like Devin Lloyd and Travis Etienne, the Rams let names like Sammy Watkins and Trumaine Johnson leave to sign the fourth- and sixth-biggest deals of the 2018 offseason.

The Rams' top deal they inked that offseason? A one-year, $14 million deal for Ndamukong Suh, who was released. Since Suh was released, he did not count toward the compensatory formula. As a result, the Rams landed two third-round compensatory picks for Watkins and Johnson.

james gladstone — Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone speaks during a press conference at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That is the way I see the Jaguars attacking this offseason, and beyond. They will sign some names that are released and do not have their contract expire, but they will not be afraid of change when it comes to letting free agents walk.

This means the Jaguars would have to live in the world of focusing on the second- and third-tier of free agency signings. The Rams in 2018 added a pair of those in John Sullivan and Nickell Robey-Coleman. And from there, the Jaguars will need to get base hits and home runs in the draft, just like the Rams did.

The path for the Jaguars this offseason, at least from our vantage point, seems clear. We will see just how closely they follow it.

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