Quiet Free Agency Was the Right Move for the Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars took a different approach this offseason on how they handle free agency.

Remember, a season ago, in the first offseason with general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen, they went out and spent and got the players they believed in to get things started in the right direction last season. Which was proven to be the right move because of the season they had. The Jaguars win a lot of games and went to the playoffs by winning the AFC South.

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

Now, for Coen and Gladstone, they did the opposite of what they did last offseason. The Jaguars decide to go after big-time free agents or bring in free agents like they did in their first year. That is because the Jaguars want to get their picks from losing the key free agent they did last week. Jacksonville will get extra draft picks for that, and that is what they are banking on to help this team even more. The Jaguars are looking to turn those picks into good players.

Jaguars Offseason is Way Different than a Year Ago

Jan 11, 2026; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen before an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Buffalo Bills at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Now, many would say, why are the Jaguars taking this approach if they are coming off a great season. That is because they believe in what they are building, and they believe in the front office and the coaching staff. They wanted to do it like this, and they believe they could even get better with the players they have in the building, even though they did not sign any key free agents and lost some key players from last year's team.

For some, it may not make sense, and they are going to hold this against the Jaguars going into next season. The Jaguars are banking on the draft as well. They believe they have the right scouts to look at the right players and pick them. One major factor is Gladstone. Gladstone knows how to look for players, and he is going to do a good job of doing that not only in the 2026 NFL Draft but also when they get the picks for the draft in 2027 as well.

One thing you cannot say is that this is the wrong call. Coen and Gladstone have the right to have an offseason like this because they proved that they have the right plan in place, and they executed their first-year plan. Now, we will have to wait and see if they execute their second-year plan.