With the league’s 2019 deadline coming up, the Jacksonville Jaguars have some decisions to make on who they will allow to hit the open market. In total, they currently have 21 players with contracts that will expire on March 18 at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Amongst their group of free agents will be two restricted free agents in receiver Keelan Cole and linebacker Donald Payne. What this basically means is that both players have basically garnered three accrued seasons and can be offered a tender by the Jags. At that point, they can either sign it or sit out, limiting their options, unlike an unrestricted free agent. Another team can also shoot the player an offer, but would have to give up draft compensation based on the tender the player is designated to if he original team doesn’t match the offer.
Due to the production over the 2019 season, fans should expect both back as depth pieces for the final 53-man roster. In the case of Cole, it wouldn’t be shocking for the Jags to utilize a second-round tender on him, which would mean a team would have to give the Jags a second-round pick if the Jags aren’t willing to match an opposing offer. The reason for that is because he could garner a lot of interest from teams. Additionally, if the Jags release receiver Marqise Lee as many expect, they might need Cole as he’s been with the team since 2017.
The Jags used the second-round tender back in 2018 with running back Corey Grant, which made it easy to keep his services. Back then the second-round tender was worth $2.914 million, but with the price tag increasing over time, it would be slightly more now.
As for Payne, the Jags should definitely bring him back as they need depth at the linebacker position, which is arguably their worst unit as it is. He started in five games and accumulated 61 tackles. Due to him being a low-key player, the Jags might elect to tender him without there being any draft compensation connected.
The players who are scheduled to become exclusive rights free-agents include running back Devante Mays, offensive lineman Brandon Thomas, linebackers Austin Calitro and James Onwualu. Unlike restricted free-agents, these players have garnered less than three accrued seasons. They too can negotiate with other teams, however, their original team can retain them with a one-year contract that pays the league’s minimum. This is also based on the player’s credited seasons.
It wouldn’t cost the Jags much to retain all of their exclusive-rights players but Calitro is the most interesting for the same reasons mentioned with Payne. He started in four games and accumulated 40 tackles and the Jags could want to retain him for that experience alone.
Ultimately, time will tell what direction the Jags go with their restricted free agents but expect them to start shooting their offers within a week or so because the new league year is closing in.