Was Jaguars' Free Agent Signing Among Worst in NFL?

The Jacksonville Jaguars went out to make several additions to their squad last season. While hopes were high surrounding the the outlook of the 2024 season, the reality set it fairly quickly. Perhaps the free agent signings didn't add much to the cause.

Looking back at several free agent signings, Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame took a glance at some of the signings that did not pan out in the first year of the deal. Unfortunately for the Jaguars, one of their free agent signings in the form of defensive end Arik Armstead made Verderame's list.

"Armstead came over from the San Francisco 49ers, with {Trent} Baalke giving him a three-year deal worth $43.3 million, including $28 million guaranteed. The results were disastrous. Armstead played just 48% of the defensive snaps and, despite being active in all 17 games, registered only two sacks and seven quarterback hits, both lows for any season in which he played double-digit games," Vererame wrote.

Armstead's season was above average in terms of how many games he played, but as Verderame stated, the results were not all there. For the first time since the 2021 season, Armstead competed in a full campaign but it looked vastly different in 2024 than it did in 2021.

In 2021, Armstead's 17 game campaign with the San Fransisco 49ers saw him earn a career high 63 total tackles, six quarterback sacks, and 7.5 stuffs. In 2024, Armstead's most recent full season, he recorded 29 total tackles, two quarterback sacks, and 5.5 stuffs.

Looking back on the contract deal that Baalke gave to Armstead looks to give even more reason as to why Baalke is unemployed. The lengthy contract after seeing how Armstead performed in his last few seasons in San Fransisco looked to be outlandish, and it only proved to be so when he took the field.

Armstead did claim that he is looking to move back to the inside line in 2025, perhaps thats the way the franchise will be able to get the most out of the veteran defender. But as it stands right now, the contract might be a lingering issue if the reigning Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year can't turn things around.

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