Jaguars' Franchise Tag Decision Much Easier in 2025 Than Past Years

The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't facing many questions when it comes to the franchise tag this time around.

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andre Cisco (5) runs off the field before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars held off the Titans 20-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When it comes to this year's usage of the franchise tag across the NFL, there does not seem to be much anticipation outside of watching what happens with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

This is even true for a team like the Jaguars, who have not shied away from using the tag in recent seasons.

From 2020-2024, the Jaguars used the franchise tag five offseasons in a row: Once on Yannick Ngakoue, twice on Cam Robinson, and then one apiece on Evan Engram and Josh Hines-Allen. Robinson in 2021 was the only player who actually played a season on the tag, but the Jaguars have been proactive about using the tag as a vehicle to continue either contract or trade talks.

This offseason is set to look a good bit different for the Jaguars, though. Former general manager Trent Baalke is the decision-maker who used four of those five franchise tags, and he has since been replaced by the recently-hired James Gladstone.

Even if Baalke was still in the captain's chair, however, this just does not seem like a year in which it makes sense for the Jaguars to use the tag. They have some solid players set to hit free agency in safety Andre Cisco and right guard Brandon Scherff, but it does not seem like the Jaguars are set to bend over backward to bring either back into the fold.

For Cisco, he didn't have the 2024 season anyone expected and would likely benefit from a change in scenery. The Jaguars are expected to devote resources into rebuilding the secondary this offseason, and the timing seems right to move on from the former third-round pick and three-year starter.

Plus, the safety franchise tag amounts to $20,130,000 -- a figure the Jaguars could certainly go nowhere near.

As for Scherff, his franchise tag would cost $25,802,000. Scherff is several years removed from being that caliber of a player, and the Jaguars have no reason to spend nearly $26 million in cap space on a player they have been projected to replace for two offseasons in a row.

The past several offseasons have seen the Jaguars be consistent in their usage of the franchise tag. This time around, though, they will be sitting it out.

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