Nobody batted an eye when the Jacksonville Jaguars inked Arik Armstead last year. After all, defensive tackle was a need at the time, and he was one of the best players available. However, the move raised eyebrows once the season started and he was playing out of position. Ultimately, the former Oregon Duck went on to have an underwhelming issue, which wouldn't have been that much of an issue if it weren't for the fact that the Jags paid retail for him.
Fast forward to 2025, and Armstead earned an unflattering distinction. Lou Scataglia drew up a list of the worst contracts in the NFL, one for each team, and picked Armstead's for the Jags, pointing out that his price tag didn't match his production in 2024.
"Starting just one game for the Jaguars in 2024, Arik Armstead produced two sacks and 29 total tackles," Scataglia wrote. "The $14.5 million per year price is just way too much for Armstead, who has been in the NFL since 2015 when he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. This was another pretty notable free agency miss by Trent Baalke, who isn't with the team anymore."
Scataglia continued, "Armstead may end up being on the decline, and that's OK, as all NFL players go through this at some point in their careers. He is the team's worst contract approaching the 2025 NFL Season."
A first-round pick in 2015, Armstead spent his whole career with the San Francisco 49ers until last year. Coming off meniscus surgery, he was asked to take a pay cut that he felt was disrespectful. The Sacramento, California native was ultimately cut and quickly latched onto the Jags.
On paper, the deal looked great, but the Jaguars didn't get a good return on their investment because they made the puzzling decision to plug Armstead on the edge instead of defensive tackle, where he's at his best. To make matters worse, he was just one of many questionable signings former general manager Trent Baalke made in a desperate effort to keep his job.
To nobody's surprise, most of the signings didn't pan out, and the new regime has since gotten rid of many of the players Baalke brought in last year. Surprisingly, the team's brass chose to keep Armstead, so he'll have a chance to make his contract look better.
The Jaguars surely want to see Arik Armstead wreak havoc in 2025
Arik Armstead will get a clean slate under the new regime, and there are reasons to think he'll be a more productive player in 2025. Unlike last year, he's not recovering from surgery, so he's gotten the chance to join his teammates in practice and prepare for the regular season. Moreover, he'll switch back to his more familiar defensive tackle spot.
Having said that, Armstead would have to play at a Pro Bowl level to validate his contract. While he fails to crack the top 20 of the highest-paid defensive tackle, he's not precisely making chump change. The issue is that he's closer to the end of his career than the start, so he won't suddenly turn into a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. The silver lining is that he doesn't have to be.
The Jaguars don't need Armstead to be a top-5 defensive tackle next season. Instead, they'll need him to be the player he was before he signed with them and wreak enough havoc to help Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen make plays. If he delivers, his contract won't look nearly as bad.
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