Well, it’s officially that time of the year folks. Players hit the gridiron for the last time Feb. 9, and won’t do so again until next fall. Until then, there’s much for front offices to figure out, with each franchise’s needs and ideologies differentiating. In this part one article, I’ll break down a realistic offseason scenario for the Jacksonville Jaguars, inclusive of hiring a general manager, cutting down the roster and extending players. Part two will explore signing potential free agents and drafting players come April. Let’s get right into the early stages. For more offseason content, check out my profile HERE.
Jaguars 2025 Offseason Plans
1. Hire a General Manager
The Jaguars took an unconventional route, firing their general manager right before hiring a head coach. While they got their top candidate in Liam Coen, everyone knows the situation could’ve been handled better. To be nearing the NFL combine without a full-time general manager is a scary proposition.
Still, it does seem like they’re making headway in the hiring process. As of Feb. 15, they had interviewed 10 candidates. The guy getting the most buzz so far has been Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, according to NFL Reporter Albert Breer. Cunningham, who turned down multiple general manager opportunities in the past, has a real interest in Jacksonville and is a top name in the search process.
In this scenario, Shad Khan and the Jaguars move to hire Cunningham, one of the most sought-after front-office executives in the league.
2. Cut Players Before Free Agency
Cutting the following players gives the Jaguars 43.3 million dollars in cap space.
- Luke Fortner: Drafted in the third round in 2022 to be the center of the future, Fortner has fallen well short. In fact, he shouldn’t even be relied upon to be a quality backup. By cutting Fortner, Jacksonville saves 3.3 million against the cap.
- Ronald Darby: When the Jaguars signed Ronald Darby last offseason, they were hoping to get a solid CB2 across Tyson Campbell. Instead, they got an injury-prone, slow cornerback who struggled the majority of time in coverage. Jacksonville will save 2.3 million against the cap here.
- Devin Duvernay: Duvernay, signed from Baltimore to be the team’s top return man, has dealt with injuries though he has been effective at times. However, there is a cheaper and younger option on the team in slot receiver Parker Washington. With Devin Duvernay cut, the Jaguars save 2.7 million.
- Andrew Wingard: Wingard, an occasional rotational safety and quality special teams player gets cut here. Younger, and slightly cheaper players make him easy to replace. With this cut, Jacksonville saves one million against the cap.
3. Resign Team Free Agents
Resigning the following players leaves the Jaguars with roughly 26.3 million in cap space.
- Andre Cisco: three years, 30 million. One of the most underrated safeties in the league sticks in Jacksonville here, but not at a discount. Cisco has showcased quality ball skills and played well in 2024 despite having lackluster cornerback play to deal with. In this scenario, Cisco pairs with Darnell Savage to give Jacksonville an above-average safety duo for at least the next three years.
- Mac Jones: two years, 10 million. Jacksonville’s own stays home in this scenario. Trevor Lawrence has shown real injury concerns over the last couple years, with ankle, shoulder and concussion issues. While it’s clear Jones isn’t a starter, he’s still a quality backup. Here, he takes a slight discount to remain home.
- Cole Van Lanen: two years, four million. Van Lanen stepped in to play left tackle the final three weeks season and held up decently well. After cutting Fortner, the Jaguars are low on offensive line depth. Signing Van Lanen is a cheap insurance policy for an offensive line that has gone through some injuries recently.
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