As we predicted, the Jacksonville Jaguars placed a second-round tender on pending restricted free agent Keelan Cole Tuesday.
Per source, the #Jaguars have applied a 2nd-round RFA tender to WR Keelan Cole, who has posted 104 career receptions for 1,600 yards and 7 TDs in three seasons in Jacksonville.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2020
Cole, 26, has been with the Jags since 2017 when he signed with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Kentucky Wesleyan. Over the span of his time with the Jags, he’s managed to accumulate 104 catches, 1,600 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns.
With the tender, another team still could try and sign Cole. However, if the Jags aren’t willing to match the offer that team would have to give the Jags a second-round pick. If Cole plays under the tender for the Jags it would pay him $3.25 million, which is a nice pay raise from the undrafted contract he was previously playing on.
Second-round tender for WR Keelan Cole pays him $3.25 million in 2020. He got little work in first half of last season (one target and one catch in first six games) but caught 37 passes in final 10. Handled KO returns in finale (110 yards on three… https://t.co/MJYj5Erxsa
— Michael DiRocco (@ESPNdirocco) March 17, 2020
With the Jags set to potentially release receiver Marqise Lee as a cap casualty, the move to keep Cole was a smart one as he could be bumped up on the depth chart. In addition to Lee, he’ll now join D.J. Chark, Chris Conley, and Dede Westbrook as players who will enter the 2020 season with at least one year on the roster.