The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the offseason with the most cap space in the NFL after going 1-15, which set them in a direct path towards Trevor Lawrence. That said, with a generational talent on the way, it was clearly time to spend in free-agency.
Though Jacksonville largely avoided splashy signings, opting instead for tactical, value pickups, a couple of those players were among the best upgrades in the league this offseason, according to ESPN.
Though neither cracked its top 25 offseason upgrades, cornerback Shaquill Griffin and receiver Marvin Jones Jr. were listed as honorable mentions.
Griffin replaces Sidney Jones IV, who remains on the team, in the starting lineup. Though he wasn’t massively productive in his first four seasons in Seattle, he’s been very solid and immediately becomes the clear top corner in this secondary.
As far as Jones (the receiver) goes, he’s a seasoned veteran coming off a 978-yard season in 2020. He will likely replace Keelan Cole, who played alongside D.J. Chark and started in five games, most of which came at the end of last season. Cole signed with the New York Jets as a free agent this offseason.
With 18 touchdowns in the last two seasons, Jones is a solid veteran addition to a talented and young receiving corps. Griffin, meanwhile, will be just 26 when the season starts, and if he continues to develop, he should be in Jacksonville beyond his three-year contract.
