The Jacksonville Jaguars have built a well-rounded linebacker corps. In fact, they're so stacked at the position that they could make a few surprise cuts come cutdown day.
Similarly, the Jags could afford to trade one or two of their linebackers if a team comes calling. That said, they're being urged to keep 2022 first-round pick Devin Lloyd no matter what.
The Jaguars are being urged to re-sign Devin Lloyd
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report drew up a list of every NFL team's biggest needs and priority re-signing and picked Devin Lloyd for the Jags, pointing out that he's not a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker but has been dependable nonetheless. Here's the skinny.
"The Jaguars cast some doubt they'll be interested in bringing back Devin Lloyd when they declined his fifth-year option," Knox wrote. "But the option would have been worth $14.8 million, and that's a high price to play for an off-linebacker who isn't really elite."
Knox continued, "In reality, it's still likely that the Jaguars would be interested in bringing back Lloyd on a cheaper deal. He hasn't turned out to be an All-Pro or anything, but he was the 13th-ranked linebacker among those graded by PFF last season. If he proves to be a fit in new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile's system, then he's a good candidate to be re-signed."
As Knox stated, the Jags didn't hesitate to pick up Travon Walker's fifth-year option but declined Lloyd's. This was mostly due to the fact that he's excelled against the run but struggled in coverage. Moreover, he's failed to make impact plays in their last two years. In that span, he's logged just one forced fumble and one interception. That's not the kind of production you expect from a first-round pick.
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Why the Jaguars may let Devin Lloyd walk in 2026
Nobody will deny that Devin Lloyd is a great run stumper, but that alone doesn't cut it in the NFL nowadays. You need your off-linebackers to also thrive in coverage, and that's an area where Lloyd has struggled. For that reason, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Jacksonville Jaguars move on from the former Utah Ute in 2026.
Six off-linebackers will make $15 million or more on average in 2025. Two of them, Fred Wagner and Roquan Smith, have an annual average of more than $20 million. Based on how Lloyd's stint with the Jags has unfolded, it's hard to see him getting that kind of money.
But even if Lloyd put it all together, and there's a chance he will under defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, Jacksonville may opt not to bring him back. After all, they have Ventrell Miller and Jack Kiser in the fold.
Miller played better than Lloyd in 2024 and could once again get significant playing time next season. Kiser, on the other hand, isn't nearly as a athletically gifted as Lloyd but also excels against the run and has the ability to blitz the quarterback. In fact, he's had the best training camp of any Jaguars rookie not named Travis Hunter.
The bottom line is that Devin Lloyd could at last live up to his draft billing next season, but that doesn't guarantee his return to Jacksonville in 2026. On the other hand, if he does break out, he could give the Jaguars a tough decision in the offseason.
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