JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Tim from Lancaster, PA
This offseason is a tough one for fans to fan. There is limited cap room for free agents and no first-round pick to mock draft or fixate on. Wake me up when September begins! But this is what we have to do to continue playing in January, so I will take it.
I suppose I understand why Jaguars fans consider this offseason tough, but the reality is this is a wonderful offseason for this franchise – and by extension, for its fans. Yes, the Jaguars have been comparatively "quiet" around Wednesday's start of the 2026 NFL League Year – with former Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. the only unrestricted free agent signed from another team. This while players such as running back Travis Etienne Jr. (New Orleans Saints), linebacker Devin Lloyd (Carolina Panthers), cornerback Greg Newsome II (New York Giants) and safety Andrew Wingard (Arizona Cardinals) have signed elsewhere. On paper, those seem like massive losses. On Jaguars Twitter and other online gathering locales, reactions have ranged from irritation to panic. But remember: Lloyd and Etienne, while productive, play "non-premium" positions from which teams often move on from players – and you're supposed to be able to quickly/relatively cheaply replace running back and outside linebacker. And while the Jaguars indeed have limited cap room to sign unrestricted free agents, there is nothing – repeat, NOTHING – wrong with limited participation in the first wave of free agency. Increasingly forgotten in the annual Free-Agent Frenzy is that first-wave free agency more often than not means signing really, really expensive players and treating those players like core players when they're really players who other teams realized weren't core players. That the Jaguars are transitioning as much as possible from participating regularly in this oft-reckless area is one of the best happenings I've seen around this franchise in the last 15 years. A tough offseason? Hardly. This is one of the most encouraging offseasons in these parts in a long while.
Robert from Fernandina Beach, FL
Say what you will about the inactivity of the Jags being positive, the truth is we are not as good of a team as we were before free agency.
This is a bold, confident statement. It's also an understandable statement. Whether it's a true statement is debatable and something we won't know until next season.
John from Jacksonville
I'm going to miss Dewey. To be an undrafted collegiate free agent and last this many years on the team that gave him a chance is a testament to the man. I remember former Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone calling him, "Thor." Even though they played different positions, Wingard leaving is a lot like losing former linebacker Daryl Smith. I never liked that move.
I'll miss Wingard, too. He was among my favorite Jaguars players and earned the respect of seven seasons worth of teammates. He will be forever remembered for coining the rallying cry, "It Was Always the Jags" during the Jaguars' run to the 2022 AFC South title. Wingard entered the league as overlooked undrafted free agent and carved out a seven-season career here. Many, many players have done a lot less with a lot more. One fer Wingard.
Brian from I've been everywhere man
Wingard to Arizona. I know it's a business. We move on and get better when possible, but Dewey … how I wish, how I wish you were here. Always best to take the perspective that we don't mourn the loss, we are grateful for the experience. Who's the culture replacement for 42?
How about one for running back LeQuint Allen Jr. in this vein? Tough, entertaining, confident, the sort of player around whom teammates rally? He absolutely could be that guy.
Fred from Naples, FL
As of Wednesday, there were four teams including the Jaguars that did not sign any outside free agents. Those four teams averaged 11 wins each last year. Enough said.
And well said.
Stuart from Cottonwood, AZ
To encourage Al from Fruit Cove, the other side of draft and develop – as the O-Zone has reported before – is the compensatory pick. A high value free agent such as Lloyd and Etienne lost in free agency will bring in high-level compensatory selections if the Jags don't bring in equal value free agents. It softens the blow a little.
This indeed appears to be an offseason in which the Jaguars might earn a compensatory draft selection or two. Remember: the NFL awards "compensatory selections" each offseason based on a mysterious formula weighing unrestricted free-agent gains and losses from the previous offseason. With the Jaguars losing Etienne and Lloyd – and perhaps others – and unlikely to sign any "premier" UFAs, the formula could work in their favor. I'm not quite as big on compensatory selections as many observers. They're valuable, but you better select well to make up for the loss of front-line players. Still, they're a lot better than nothing and getting one or two in the 2027 NFL Draft certainly could "soften the blow" – at least somewhat.
Jadon from Raleigh, NC
I'm sad they're gone, but I definitely hope we get Saints-Panthers on prime time in '26!
Happy viewing, I guess.
Rusty from New Iberia, LA
Why not pick up the fifth-year option on Lloyd just in case he has a great season? What is the disadvantage of picking it up and then you decide you don't want to keep him?
Picking up the fifth-year option on a player immediately guarantees the players' salary for the fifth season. It also guarantees the fourth season of a player's contract if it wasn't already guaranteed.
JWG from Aurora, CO
With Etienne getting $13 million a year and Brown $11 million a year, it seems odd to me that you would choose the fourth cornerback over your leading rusher and leader in touchdowns.
Montaric Brown won't be the Jaguars' fourth cornerback next season. He'll be their second cornerback.
EJ from Jacksonville
Can you please explain the issues involved in not exercising the option on first-round players? Dead money if released, but otherwise seems like a low risk.
Picking up the fifth-year option on a player immediately guarantees the players' salary for the fifth season. It also guarantees the fourth season of a player's contact if it wasn't already guaranteed.
JT from Palm Coast, FL
I remember when the Jags used to "win" free agency, then they would promptly lose double digit games over and over. I'll take this version of the Jags over those versions every day of the week.
Shawn from Moore County, NC
What are the contract details for Gardeck? If we sign a player for 3/60 with $30 million guaranteed and we cut him after two years with all guaranteed money done and the salary being $20 million each year, does that last $20 million still count against the cap?
Jaguars linebacker Dennis Gardeck reportedly signed a two-year, $6.5 million extension Monday. As for your second question, contracts and the cap usually work more as follows. A player might sign a three-year deal worth $60 million with a $15 million signing bonus – and, say, a $5 million guaranteed salary in the first year and salaries of $20 million in the last two seasons. If the player played two seasons under the deal, he would be paid the $15 million bonus, the $5 million first-year salary and the $20 million second-year salary. If he were released before his third season, he would not be paid the final season and that $20 million would not count against the cap. But $5 million – the one-year prorated part of the $15 million bonus – would count against the cap for the third season.
Scott from Jacksonville
$15 mil per year for Lloyd? I expected him to command $20 million in free agency. $15 million is a bargain if he plays anywhere near like he did last season.
The market hath spoken.
Nicholas from Fort Hood, TX
KOAF: I know we talk about being nice, but did you have a little smirk when the Las Vegas Raiders-Baltimore Ravens trade didn't go through? For years you always say the Jaguars will report trades ONLY when they are finalized to avoid this exact scenario of 24/7 news reporting.
I smirked a bit at the Ravens-Raiders/Maxx Crosby fiasco, but mainly because I find it quite smirkable when Twitter explodes with opinions passing as analysis in these situations. You're correct that the Jaguars and many other franchises for years have had policies of only reporting many sorts of transactions when they are officially official. But the reality is there's no way for teams to prevent quick and even premature reporting anymore. Any team, including the Jaguars, unfortunate enough to be involved in anything similar to the Ravens/Raiders situation would have had the situation just as public. These are those kinds of times.
JT from Palm Coast, FL
Again, I understand it, but damn … Really sad to see Dewey leave. Wish him all the best in Arizona. It was always the Jags!