When the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Taven Bryan 29th overall in 2019, they thought they were adding a game-wrecker to an already loaded Sacksonville defense. Unfortunately, things didn't play out that way.
Bryan spent four underwhelming seasons with the Jags. He then spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts before landing with the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this year. Looking for a chance to enjoy a career revival, the former Florida Gator instead got the boot on cutdown day.
Now, Bryan finds himself looking for a new team, but based on how things have played out, he may not have much luck.
The Bengals didn't have use for former Jaguars DT Taven Bryan
The Bengals wanted to add reinforcements to the defensive line, so they took a flyer on Taven Bryan just before training camp. He ended up appearing in all three preseason games, tallying 59 defensive snaps, three total pressures, and one sack. All things considered, those are solid numbers but weren't apparently good enough to earn a roster spot.
With Bryan gone, Cincinnati will roll with a group of defensive tackles that includes T.J. Slaton Jr., BJ Hill, McKinnley Jackson, and Kris Jenkins Jr.
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What went wrong for Taven Bryan with the Jaguars?
Draft picks flop all the time, and even the best general managers have their fair share of blunders. That said, the Jacksonville Jaguars expected Taven Bryan to be the heir apparent of veteran Malik Jackson when he got ousted in 2019, but it didn't go that way.
Bryan hardly ever made an impact during his stint with the Jaguars outside of his jaw-dropping performance in the 9-3 upset against the Buffalo Bills in 2021. He latched onto the rival Indianapolis Colts the following year but was a one-and-done.
The Casper, Wyoming native then spent two seasons as a rotational piece for the Cleveland Browns. He became a free agent in 2025 but had to wait several months before the Bengals came calling.
Now, things don't always work out with the team that originally drafted you, but plenty of players have benefited from a fresh start. K'Lavon Chaisson is proof of it, as he's managed to put it all together since joining the Las Vegas Raiders.
That hasn't been the case for Traven Bryan, who's simply shown he's not the difference-maker the Jaguars envisioned. Now, he's entering the journeyman stage of his career and will have to wait for another team to take a chance on him.
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