After parting with a slew of players yesterday to put their total number of athletes under contract at 70, the Jacksonville Jaguars waived 15 additional players on Tuesday in a mass cut that was announced early in the afternoon. It was an unceremonious event that was as abrupt as it was gut-wrenching for those involved.
Here are the talents that saw their time in Jacksonville come to an end on Tuesday:
- DL Israel Antwine (Waived)
- WR Kevin Austin Jr. (Waived)
- OLB Rashod Berry (Waived)
- WR Jeff Cotton Jr. (Waived)
- CB Xavier Crawford (Waived)
- OL Coy Cronk (Waived)
- OL Nick Ford (Waived)
- WR Willie Johnson (Waived/Injured)
- CB Gregory Junior (Waived)
- S Ayo Oyelola (Waived)
- QB E.J. Perry (Waived)
- TE Gerrit Prince (Waived)
- DT Jay Tufele (Waived)
- OL Darryl Williams (Waived)
- DT Raequan Williams (Waived/Injured)
Most notable defensive players in this group were sixth-round draft pick Gregory Junior, and second-string defensive tackle Jay Tufele. Both seemed slated for at least a minor role in the Jaguars’ defense this season, but will now need to find a contract with another team to have their chance to compete for snaps this season.
The offensive line took a big hit as well, as Cody Ford, Coy Cronk and Darryl Williams all got the ax before their regular season got underway. Jacksonville will rely on their core of starters to protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence in Week 1, but may end up leaning on one of the players they cut today if injuries end up playing a factor later in the season.
It is never easy to see a team part with so many players that fans have bonded with over the course of training camp and the preseason, but the necessity to cut-down is being faced by every other franchise this week.
Jacksonville currently sits at the very top of the waiver wire, with the first chance to grab anyone that might come available before anyone else. Watch for the Jaguars to make even more moves in the coming days as they look to add more talent from the pool of newly released players that are hungry for their next shot in the NFL.