The Jacksonville Jaguars should make one deal, cut, and sign.
The Jaguars still have a team that might make the playoffs, but these three changes would prime them for a repeat attempt at the AFC South championship:
Anton Harrison, whom the Jaguars selected in the first round of the 2023 draft, seems to be a lock to start at right tackle for the squad. Walker Little filled in for Robinson during the first few games of the 2023 season, and he did a fantastic job. Robinson was deemed disposable because Little, who is four years younger and almost $19 million less expensive, produced comparable results (521 snaps, 26 pressures, and two sacks allowed) to Robinson’s (525 snaps, 13 pressures, and three sacks allowed).
With 65 sacks allowed this season, Washington has allowed the second-most in the NFL. Robinson’s acquisition will help shield whichever quarterback the team selects with the second overall pick in April. With an NFL-high cap space of $82.26 million, the Commanders can afford Robinson’s $21.16 million cap cost.
The Jags aren’t in a hurry to clear some cash because they have $25.7 million in available cap space. However, classifying Jones as a post-June 1 cut would free them an additional $7.7 million and provide them with greater leverage to address other issues.
Jones was a luxury in 2023, with Christian Kirk and Calvin Ridley out wide. However, if Jacksonville re-signs Ridley to a large contract, Kirk would already be making somewhat more than $24 million a season for the next two years, so there’s no reason for Jacksonville to have a $10 million receiver. The Jaguars can always utilize a late-round pick to draft a less expensive wide receiver if they want to carry five wide receivers on their roster. Cutting ties with Jones also gives Jamal Agnew and Parker Washington more opportunities to play bigger roles in the offense.
Josh Allen, the best pass rusher in Jacksonville, may decide to test free agency and sign a big-money contract elsewhere. The Jaguars would forfeit 44% of their sack output from this season if that were to occur. Hunter and Brian Burns might be the only free-agent pass-rushers in the same league as Allen this year.
Hunter, 29, concluded with 16.5 sacks, 55 hurries, and 80 pressures all figures that are not too far from those of Allen’s 2017 campaign, which saw him end with 90 pressures, 54 hurries, and 17.5 sacks. Hunter will probably be less expensive than Allen, who is only 26 years old, because he will be 30 at the beginning of the 2024 season.
Hunter’s market value is estimated by Spotrac to be $20 million year on a shorter contract, whereas Allen’s is $24 million annually on a much longer one. Jacksonville would have more than enough cap room to sign Hunter with the $17.27 million obtained from the trade of Robinson and the $7.7 million obtained from the cut of Jones (both previously noted).