Jacksonville Jaguars

Armstead acknowledged the business nature of the NFL, adding that heading into the season he felt like "I might play myself out of being in San Francisco." Given the 49ers have a large portion of their cap space tied to Javon Hargrave and Nick Bosa, there simply was not enough room for Armstead, who finished the 2023 season with 27 tackles, including 5.0 sacks, over 12 games. After being released by the 49ers, Armstead signed a three-year, $43.5 million with the Jaguars on March 14.

Pittsburgh made a big push to try and acquire Brandon Aiyuk this offseason with no success, but the team may not be done trying to add another impact player at wide receiver alongside George Pickens. Kirk could be made available by the Jaguars if they aren't able to turn around an 0-4 start, and his contract runs through 2025, so he wouldn't be just a rental. The Titans' DeAndre Hopkins is another veteran wideout the Steelers could pursue if he becomes available.

While Strange caught just two passes on five targets for 12 yards during the Jaguars' Week 3 loss to the Bills, he did manage to corral his second career touchdown early in the third quarter. Strange carries a 5-77-1 line into Sunday's AFC South showdown, and he could see even more looks from quarterback Trevor Lawrence if wide receiver Gabe Davis is limited or ruled out due to a shoulder injury.

One of the top IDP players in recent years, Oluokun has totaled 22 tackles through three games this season after ranking fourth in the NFL with 173 in 2023. Devin Lloyd figures to be locked into an every-down role for as long as Oluokun is out.

Strange slid into the starting tight end job for Week 2 against the Browns after Engram injured his hamstring during pregame warmups. Strange went on to have the best game of his career, finishing with three catches on six targets for 65 yards while playing 41 of 60 offensive snaps. Strange could see the same amount of usage for Monday's game while Luke Farrell serves as the backup tight end.

Bigsby ran 12 times for 73 yards in the season opener before not getting a carry last weekend. D'Ernest Johnson had five rushes for 26 yards playing behind Travis Etienne in Week 2.

Lawrence's 294-day drought since his last victory over the Texans in Week 12 of the 2023 season is longer than the 289-day gap between his last college win and his first NFL win. The underperforming quarterback bears the majority of the blame for his team's recent struggles, as Lawrence has thrown for only 382 yards and one touchdown through two games in 2024.

Brenton Strange could be worth a pickup in deeper leagues after seeing 11 targets in his two starts. He has five catches for 77 yards this season.

Kirk's presence will be important for Lawrence as the quarterback adjusts to Jacksonville's offseason makeover at wide receiver. The Jaguars let Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones walk in free agency while replacing them with free-agent signing Gabe Davis and 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas. Sunday's Week 1 game against the Dolphins will mark Lawrence's first regular-season action since signing a five-year, $275 million extension in June.

"[Jones] really has bought into what we do. He'll still revert to his Patriot ways every now and then...but he's done a good job," Pederson added. Jones had a strong preseason, completing 73.1 percent of his passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns. After three seasons in New England, Jones was traded to the Jaguars in March to compete against Beathard for the backup quarterback job behind Trevor Lawrence. Given his play during the preseason and his progression in training camp, Jones has all but locked in the No. 2 job heading into the regular season.

Grant Gordon of NFL.com reports Lawrence was admittedly taking advantage of a mismatch involving his first-team offense and Atlanta's reserves, but the 2021 first-overall pick still looked very sharp while throwing a pair of short touchdown passes to Evan Engram and connecting with rookie first-round pick Brian Thomas for a 38-yard gain. Lawrence completed eight of 10 passes for 92 yards overall, and the pair of scoring marches he led impressively spanned nine and 13 plays.

Washington posted three catches for 38 yards and a touchdown in the first half of Saturday's 20-7 preseason win over the Buccaneers, showing a nice connection with backup quarterback Mac Jones while Lawrence got the day off. After being drafted in the sixth round in 2023, Washington dealt with a knee injury early in his rookie season and was unable to deliver consistently in a larger role after Christian Kirk suffered a season-ending groin injury. Washington has made significant progress heading into his second NFL campaign, though he will likely begin the 2024 season fourth on the depth chart behind Kirk and offseason additions Gabe Davis and Brian Thomas.

After signing Patterson in the offseason, the Jaguars selected Little in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 212th overall. Little finished his collegiate career as the most accurate kicker in Arkansas history, and his seven field goals of 50 yards or more -- four of which came in 2023 -- are second most in school history. Head coach Doug Pederson told reporters back in May that the two kickers will get "equal shots" during practices and training camp, but given Little's stronger leg and youth, the rookie should have the inside track for the Jaguars' kicking job ahead of the veteran Patterson.

Jones started in 42 regular-season games during his tumultuous three-year tenure with the Patriots, completing 66.1 percent of his passes for 8,918 yards, 46 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. Given the fact that Jones is younger and has more in-game experience, DiRocco believes it would be more favorable for the Jaguars to label the Alabama product as the No. 2 quarterback while keeping Beathard on the practice squad following training camp.

Bigsby was selected by the Jaguars in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft to provide relief for Travis Etienne in the backfield. Bigsby struggled in his rookie year, however, finishing with 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 50 carries while playing just 134 offensive snaps across 17 regular-season games. Bigsby will have to fight off D'Ernest Johnson and rookie fifth-round pick Keilan Robinson for the No. 2 role, but Pederson appears confident that the Auburn product will bounce back in his sophomore year given his performance during OTAs and minicamp.

Hines-Allen was close to winning the award in 2023, a season in which he recorded 17.5 sacks in the regular season and earned himself a five-year, $150 million contract. Brooks notes the addition of Arik Armstead to a defensive line that already includes Travon Walker will help reduce the double teams Hines-Allen is subject to, and new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen's scheme is expected to also help because it focuses on getting pressure with the front four.

Engram led all tight ends in the 2023 regular season with 114 receptions on 143 targets, and his 963 receiving yards ranked third among the position behind Travis Kelce and George Kittle. Engram was the second-leading receiver for Jacksonville last season, and with leading pass catcher Calvin Ridley departing for Tennessee in the offseason, the eighth-year tight end out of Ole Miss will be asked to take on a larger role in the offense and provide a safety valve for quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Hines-Allen's name change comes almost three years after he became the first player to sack another player with the same name, when he took down Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen. Hines-Allen will no longer be overshadowed by another player with the same name, and the pass rusher is a star in his own right, having landed a five-year, $150 million contract in April on the back of a 17.5-sack season.

Jacksonville shelled out big to lock up quarterback Trevor Lawrence and edge rusher Josh Allen this spring, but Cisco might also be in line for an extension after a solid performance last season. The 2021 third-round pick out of Syracuse could be poised for a breakout in the final year of his rookie deal, so the Jaguars could be inclined to extend him now before his potential price tag increases.

It's not as if the 2022 first-round pick has been unproductive in his first two seasons -- Lloyd has accumulated 242 tackles, 15 defensed passes, three interceptions and four fumble recoveries in 32 regular-season games. However, Brooks foresees even better production for Lloyd under new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who could move the third-year pro back into a SAM linebacker role that will allow him to leverage his instincts, awareness and pass-rushing ability.

A sixth-round pick in 2023, Washington was thrust into a significant role ahead of schedule in the second half last year when Christian Kirk got hurt, and he predictably struggled with his consistency. Jacksonville's coordinator believes that experience is serving him well, however. "[He's] not worried every time he breaks the huddle about what I'm doing, where is my stance, how does this route change?" Taylor said. "He's heard it a hundred times. So we give a playcall, we give a route, we move him around. He knows the expectations of that particular player in that particular concept and so now you just see the skill set start to come out." Even if Washington does take a step forward in his second NFL season, targets could be tough to come by. In addition to Kirk being healthy, the Jags signed Gabe Davis in free agency this offseason before selecting Brian Thomas 23rd overall in the 2024 Draft.

The deal, which is worth $275 million and boasts a $55 million annual salary that ties the Bengals' Joe Burrow for the largest in NFL history, would certainly seem to bring plenty of implied pressure. However, Lawrence notes he already has felt substantial responsibility as the team's franchise quarterback and added he felt particularly gratified the contract was completed before training camp so he could focus fully on the 2024 season.

Trevor Lawrence in particular gave the 2024 first-round pick a positive review. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor indicated that he would prefer that Thomas speak up more in meetings, although the LSU product has had few issues taking what he's learned out onto the practice field. Thomas should immediately handle a significant role in the offense, though he will likely be out-targeted by both Christian Kirk and Evan Engram.

Schefter reports the contract includes $200 million guaranteed, including $142 million at signing. The deal officially begins in 2026, keeping Lawrence under contract through the 2030 season. The contract will pay Lawrence a $55 million average annual salary, which currently ties him with the Bengals' Joe Burrow for the top figure in that category leaguewide.

Lawrence still has two years left on his rookie contract including his fifth-year option for 2025, which got picked up in April and helps explain the lack of urgency in negotiations compared to Tagovailoa, who was drafted a year earlier. Both Jacksonville and Lawrence have said they would prefer to get a deal done this offseason, but the Clemson product could be waiting for other QBs to push the market higher after Jared Goff got a deal with an average annual salary of $53 million from the Lions last month. The Cowboys' Dak Prescott and the Packers' Jordan Love could also sign extensions before Lawrence in addition to Tagovailoa.

Mueller believes Lawrence hasn't shown enough to earn a market-setting contract extension from the Jaguars, so the team could opt to slow-play negotiations until after the 2024 season and maybe even into 2025, knowing that the franchise tag is an option to keep the 2021 first overall pick under contact in 2026. Like Jones, Lawrence has shown a propensity for making plays with his legs but has struggled to convert on third downs. Lawrence showcased a higher ceiling in 2022, when he tied for ninth in the NFL with a 95.2 passer rating, but his lack of consistency is likely giving Jacksonville pause in contract negotiations.

In his first season with Jacksonville in 2022, Kirk proved why he was deserving of the four-year, $72 million contract he signed, finishing the season with 84 catches on 133 targets for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns, all of which were career highs. Kirk noted after OTAs on Monday that getting through his injuries during the offseason was "mentally challenging," but he's entering the upcoming season with "a chip on my shoulder." He'll lead a Jaguars wideout group that added Gabe Davis and Devin Duvernay in free agency and Brian Thomas in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Jaguars picked up Lawrence's fifth-year option in April, but it's no surprise that the sides are trying to get a long-term deal in place. Coach Doug Pederson weighed in on the topic Monday and stated his desire for a quick resolution to the situation so that the quarterback's focus can turn back to on-field matters. One potential comparable deal could be the five-year extension Justin Herbert received, which has an annual value of $52.5 million.

Jacksonville was reportedly thrilled to land Robinson out of Texas in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Robinson didn't see significant usage in college but averaged a promising 6.6 yards per carry and 9.5 yards per catch. The Jaguars didn't get much backfield production behind Travis Etienne last season, as 2023 third-round draft pick Tank Bigsby and former Browns running back D'Ernest Johnson each averaged just 2.6 yards per carry. Robinson could also help out on kickoff returns, which are expected to carry more weight after the NFL's rule change, though the Jaguars also added return specialist Devin Duvernay in the offseason.

The Clemson product is now under team control through 2025, but it seems only a matter of time until Lawrence gets locked up for a longer term. After a disastrous rookie campaign under Urban Meyer in 2021, Lawrence has gotten his career on track by topping 4,000 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and a 65 percent completion rate in both of the last two seasons, setting himself up for a big payday.

Lawrence is eligible for an extension for the first time this offseason, having just completed his third year as a pro. While he's underwhelmed relative to his pedigree as a prospect, he has topped 4,000 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. It's unlikely that the Jaguars would part ways with Lawrence, and the potential value of his new contract could be between $45 and $55 million annually.

Armstead acknowledged the business nature of the NFL, adding that heading into the season he felt like "I might play myself out of being in San Francisco." Given the 49ers have a large portion of their cap space tied to Javon Hargrave and Nick Bosa, there simply was not enough room for Armstead, who finished the 2023 season with 27 tackles, including 5.0 sacks, over 12 games. After being released by the 49ers, Armstead signed a three-year, $43.5 million with the Jaguars on March 14.