Tag: Foley Fatukasi

Social media reacts to Jaguars cutting Foley Fatukasi on his birthday

A couple hours after the Jaguars wished Foley Fatukasi a happy birthday, they decided to release him.

At 11:19 a.m. ET on Monday, the official Twitter account of the Jacksonville Jaguars wished a happy birthday to defensive lineman Folorunso “Foley” Fatukasi.

At 1:43 p.m., ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler broke the news that the Jaguars are releasing Fatukasi to clear some cap space.

The awkward timing isn’t really anyone’s fault. The Jaguars’ social media team isn’t privy to the moves general manager Trent Baalke is going to make or when he’s planning on making them. And Baalke definitely isn’t refreshing social media to find the most pain-free time to announce news.

Still, the brutal birthday present for Fatukasi didn’t go unnoticed by the Internet. Here’s a sampling of the reaction to the snafu:

Jaguars 2023 roster review: DE Folorunso Fatukasi

Folorunso Fatukasi didn’t have a strong first season with the Jaguars, but is set to play a key role again in 2023.

The brunt of the offseason is in the books and training camp is underway. Join us for a player-by-player review of the Jaguars roster ahead of the 2023 season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were remarkably effective in how they spent money during free agency in 2022. While it’s often a risky roll of the dice to parse through the talent on the open market, the new additions of Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, Zay Jones, Brandon Scherff, Foye Oluokun, and Darious Williams all played significant roles in the team’s run to the postseason.

If there was a free agent signing who didn’t play up to his contract it was defensive lineman Folorunso Fatukasi.

Once a breakout star for the New York Jets, Fatukasi was the lowest graded starter on the Jaguars defense, via PFF, and he led the defensive linemen in missed tackles with nine.

After a rough start in Jacksonville, Fatukasi needs a rebound season if he hopes to stick with the team beyond 2023.

Contract (2023): $1,125,000 base salary, $3,333,333 prorated signing bonus, $411,754 roster bonus, $500,000 workout bonus, $1,475,000 restructure bonus, $6,845,087 cap hit.

Acquired: The Jaguars signed Fatukasi as a veteran free agent on March 16, 2022.

PFF grades:

  • 44.5 (2022)
  • 61.5 (2021 – NYJ)
  • 80.1 (2020 – NYJ)
  • 81.6 (2019 – NYJ)
  • 50.8 (2018 – NYJ)

Highlight:

Quote: “I definitely feel like there’s more to my game and I’m definitely excited to work on it and tap into that. Like I said, all it took was for one person and a group of people to believe in me. That goes a long way when someone believes in you, so I’m definitely willing to work to see how much further I can get to my own style of play, a better style of play, a smarter style of play.” – Fatukasi

Calvin Ridley (No. 0) Travis Etienne Jr. (No. 1) Rayshawn Jenkins (No. 2) C.J. Beathard (No. 3) Tank Bigsby (No. 4) Andre Cisco (No. 5)
Chris Claybrooks (No. 6) Zay Jones (No. 7) Logan Cooke (No. 9) Parker Washington (No. 11) James McCourt (No. 12) Christian Kirk (No. 13)
Kendric Pryor (No. 14) Tim Jones (No. 15) Trevor Lawrence (No. 16) Evan Engram (No. 17) Nathan Rourke (No. 18) Sammis Reyes (No. 19)
Daniel Thomas (No. 20) Latavious Brini (No. 21) JaMycal Hasty (No. 22) Foyesade Oluokun (No. 23) Snoop Conner (No. 24) D’Ernest Johnson (No. 25)
Antonio Johnson (No. 26) Divaad Wilson (No. 27) Tevaughn Campbell (No. 29) Montaric Brown (No. 30) Darious Williams (No. 31) Tyson Campbell (No. 32)
Devin Lloyd (No. 33) Gregory Junior (No. 34) Ayo Oyelola (No. 35) Christian Braswell (No. 36) Tre Herndon (No. 37) Qadree Ollison (No. 38)
Jamal Agnew (No. 39) Erick Hallett (No. 40) Josh Allen (No. 41) Andrew Wingard (No. 42) Kaleb Hayes (No. 43) Derek Parish (No. 43)
Travon Walker (No. 44) K’Lavon Chaisson (No. 45) Ross Matiscik (No. 46) De’Shaan Dixon (No. 47) Chad Muma (No. 48) Shaquille Quarterman (No. 50)
Ventrell Miller (No. 51) DaVon Hamilton (No. 52) Willie Taylor III (No. 53) DJ Coleman (No. 54) Dequan Jackson (No. 55) Yasir Abdullah (No. 56)
Caleb Johnson (No. 57) Raymond Vohasek (No. 59) Darryl Williams (No. 60) Samuel Jackson (No. 62) Coy Cronk (No. 64) Chandler Brewer (No. 67)
Brandon Scherff (No. 68) Tyler Shatley (No. 69) Cole Van Lanen (No. 70) Walker Little (No. 72) Blake Hance (No. 73) Cam Robinson (No. 74)
Cooper Hodges (No. 75) Anton Harrison (No. 76) Josh Wells (No. 77) Ben Bartch (No. 78) Luke Fortner (No. 79) Kevin Austin Jr. (No. 80)
Seth Williams (No. 81) Elijah Cooks (No. 84) Brenton Strange (No. 85) Gerrit Prince (No. 86) Jaray Jenkins (No. 87) Oliver Martin (No. 88)
Luke Farrell (No. 89) Henry Mondeaux (No. 90) Dawuane Smoot (No. 91) Jordan Smith (No. 92) Tyler Lacy (No. 93) Folorunso Fatukasi (No. 94)
Roy Robertson-Harris (No. 95) Adam Gotsis (No. 96) Michael Dogbe (No. 98) Jeremiah Ledbetter (No. 99) Brandon McManus (No. 10) Jacob Harris (No. 83)
Josh Pederson (No. 49)

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Jaguars player listed as top 5 worst free agent signing of 2022

Most of the Jaguars’ free agent additions have impressed, but apparently not all of them.

The Jacksonville Jaguars spent huge money in the offseason to add several new faces to the starting lineup, including wide receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, tight end Evan Engram, offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, and linebacker Foye Oluokun, among others.

But it was one of the more under-the-radar additions that earned a spot on Over The Cap’s list of worst free agent signings.

At No. 5 on Jason Fitzgerald’s list at OTC was defensive end Folorunso Fatukasi, who signed a three-year, $30 million deal with Jacksonville in the offseason:

Fatukasi left the Jets to join the Jaguars in free agency, but it has been a rough change so far for the defensive lineman. Fatukasi is grading under 60 on the year by Pro Football Focus. He has been credited with 15 tackles, none for loss, a big drop from last year where he had 46 tackles, 5 for loss with the Jets. You would expect these numbers from a sub $3 million player. He has provided similar pass rush numbers to last season but the Jaguars are looking for more overall consistency. He has a $12.8M cap figure next season and his salary is guaranteed.

While Fatukasi hasn’t made many plays in the opposing backfield to necessarily justify his salary, his impact against the run can get lost in the box score.

The Jaguars started the year with one of the NFL’s most stout run defenses, but they struggled to slow the Philadelphia Eagles after Fatukasi went down with a quad injury.

His $10 million per year salary means Jacksonville should expect some plays made on the other side of the line of scrimmage, but calling him one of the worst signings of the offseason is a stretch.

CBS Sports says Jags’ biggest need is on defense

CBS Sports previewed the biggest needs of every AFC Team, and surprisingly it wasn’t the offensive line or receiver for the Jags.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a busy offseason, which started with the hiring of Doug Pederson in February. They made several moves in free agency and the draft, too.

When looking back at the roster additions, most fans feel the defense was the unit that was improved the most this offseason. They especially did a lot to help the front seven portion of the defense, signing Foley Fatukasi, Foye Oluokun, and Arden Key in free agency, then drafting Travon Walker, Devin Lloyd, and Chad Muma.

Despite these moves, CBS Sports still thinks the defensive side of the ball has the biggest need on the team. In a preview of the top needs for all 16 AFC teams, analyst Josh Edwards listed defensive tackle as the Jags’ top need as the team has yet to find a standout at the position. 

While he considered other positions, here is what Edwards specifically had to say about the Jags needing help in the defensive trenches.

Jaguars: Defensive tackle

The offensive line and wide receiver positions are still concerning on offense, but Jacksonville lacks difference-makers along the interior defensive line. The additions of Travon Walker and Arden Key are somewhat neutralized by the limitations of that interior unit. The group — Roy Robertson-Harris, Davon Hamilton, Malcolm Brown and Foley Fatukasi — has had moments of success throughout their careers, but it is time for someone to step up and take advantage of the one-on-one opportunities sure to come from the upgrade in talent on the edge.

Edwards will have a hard time finding many to agree with him on this. Most would point to the receiver position, or maybe even the offensive line position as bigger needs.

Over the last few years, the Jags have put a lot of resources into the defensive line. This year they added Fatukasi, and Key. And though he will focus on playing outside linebacker, for now, Walker is a player who could help in the interior, too. Last season they added Roy Robertson-Harris and Malcom Brown (via trade), then the year before, they drafted DaVon Hamilton.

Most of these players have now been together for at least a season, which should help them to improve in 2022. They also have a new defensive coordinator in Mike Caldwell, who learned under Todd Bowles with Tampa and will look to get better results out of the big men this season.

As for the receiver position, the Jags came into this offseason needing a deep threat, and there are concerns that they still don’t have one despite paying Christian Kirk and Zay Jones like starters. Kirk can hurt teams deep at times, but it’s unknown if he can do it consistently, and the same applies to the rest of the group.

Then when it comes to the offensive line, most feel the Jags could at least use another interior lineman. They were able to draft Luke Fortner out of Kentucky in the third round, but he may not start. That said, there are question marks at the left guard and center spots where it isn’t clear if Ben Bartch and Tyler Shatley are more than backups.

Clearly, we aren’t expecting many fans to agree with Edwards, but we would like to know where would you all at home rank the Jags’ need for a defensive tackle? Let us know in the comments.

“Touchdown Jaguars!” will be published weekly, giving Jags Wire readers a new go-to podcast to hear the latest in news, rumors, and more. To stay up to date, subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and feel free to rate and comment. 

Jags DL lands near bottom of PFF rankings

The Jags received very little love in PFF’s DL rankings, which placed them in the last tier of their list.

Part of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offseason plans was to bolster their defensive line. They did that by signing Folorunso Fatukasi and Arden Key in free agency. Then in the draft, they selected an edge defender with the No. 1 overall pick in Travon Walker.

Despite that, Pro Football Focus ranked them at the No. 28 spot in their defensive line rankings. That put the Jags in the last tier of their rankings (Tier 6), which is the area where they placed the units with multiple question marks on the line.

Here is what PFF analyst Ben Linsey had to say about the Jags’ placement on the list.

28. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Jacksonville has invested a lot of resources into the edge defender position with first-round picks spent on Josh Allen, K’Lavon Chaisson and Travon Walker in the last four offseasons. However, Walker was drafted No. 1 overall for his rare, physical traits and not his track record of college production. It remains to be seen how much he can add as a rookie at a position where both production and athleticism matter when projecting to the NFL.

The other big addition to a defensive front that ranked 30th in PFF grade in 2021 was Folorunso Fatukasi. The 318-pound defensive tackle was one of the position’s best run defenders across the 2019 and 2020 seasons but took a step back with the Jets last year (57.3 PFF run-defense grade).

PFF had Aidan Hutchinson ranked as their top player in the draft, so they were higher on him than Walker, which explains some of their reasoning for placing the Jags so low.

However, the Jags’ defense could surprise some people because of the division they are in and their structure. The additions they made should bolster the unit against the run, which is what the AFC South is all about.

In a division with Derrick Henry and Jonathan Taylor, the Jags knew they needed to bolster their unit against the run after the defense was 23rd against the rush. As a result, they signed Fatukasi to help in that department. Walker is another player who could help them tremendously there, too.

As for the returning players, the team will have Josh Allen back, whose 78.5 grade was good for 18th out of 108 edge defenders. Notables Roy Robertson-Harris, Adam Gotsis, DaVon Hamilton, Malcom Brown, and Dawuane Smoot will also be returning and could improve after spending last season together.

The Jags’ defense finished 20th overall last season, and that likely would’ve been better if they weren’t ranked as a bottom nine team against the run. However, if their unit at least improves against the rush as they should, while Allen and Walker put a decent amount of heat on the quarterback, the defensive line will be significantly better than PFF is predicting.

“Touchdown Jaguars!” will be published weekly, giving Jags Wire readers a new go-to podcast to hear the latest in news, rumors, and more. To stay up to date, subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and feel free to rate and comment. 

Poll: Where will the Jags’ rush defense rank in 2022?

The additions the Jags made on defense made it clear that they felt they needed to get better against the run, but how much will they improve in this category in 2022?

The Jacksonville Jaguars were a busy team this offseason when it came to player acquisitions. They especially got stronger on the defensive side, and it’s understandable why after the team was ranked 20th on that side of the ball.

In free agency, they picked up defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi, linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, and defensive end Arden Key. Then in the draft, they used all but two of seven draft selections on defense, acquiring notables like linebackers Travon Walker, Devin Lloyd, and Chad Muma in the process.

All of these aforementioned additions will be combined with what the Jags already had in notables Josh Allen, DaVon Hamilton, Tyson Campbell, and Andre Cisco, and will hopefully push the group to the top half of the league. Achieving this alone could help the Jags get an extra win or two after they registered the league’s worst record (3-14) last season.

When looking at the issues the Jags’ defense had last season, they weren’t good against the run or pass, but stopping the run especially proved to be hard for them. They finished 2021 allowing an average of 125.1 yards on the ground per game, which is not where a team that faces Johnathan Taylor and Derrick Henry twice a year wants to be.

For those reasons, the players the Jags added on defense make a ton of sense. Fatukasi was a run-stuffing specialist with the New York Jets, and run support was also a strength of Walker, Lloyd, and Muma in college. That said, the Jags may see a significant jump as a defense against the rush, but we’ll have to see how all of the pieces fall together in training camp.

These additions left plenty of Jags excited about how much the team could improve, especially within the AFC South. However, we want to know specifically how improved our readers at home feel the Jags will be against the run in 2022.

Please vote in the poll below and let us know.

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PFF names DT Foley Fatukasi Jags’ most underrated player

PFF thinks the Jags’ most underrated player is one of the free agents they picked up this offseason.

After acquiring the worst record in football a second consecutive time, the Jacksonville Jaguars front office knew they needed to spend in free agency to avoid wasting another one of Trevor Lawrence’s first seasons. They did just that by spending the most money in NFL history this offseason and taking advantage of the increase in cap space.

In the process, Pro Football Focus seems to think the Jags picked up their most underrated player in defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi, who signed a three-year deal worth $30 million with $20 million guaranteed after spending the beginning of his career with the New York Jets.

Here is what PFF analyst Sam Monson had to say:

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: DI FOLORUNSO FATUKASI

Being a run-stuffing specialist in today’s NFL will almost certainly land a player on an underrated list because of the pass-happy nature of today’s league. Defending the run is still a very valuable skill, especially if one can do it well enough that it enables a defense to reallocate resources elsewhere. Fatukasi has proven capable of that. In three years of significant snaps with the Jets, Fatukasi twice notched an 86.0-plus PFF run-defense grade, and he made at least 24 defensive stops in each of the past two seasons. He may not offer much as a pass-rushing force, but neither is he completely inept in that area, able to at least push the pocket and make an impact.

Some may see Fatukasi as a one-dimensional defender, but his ability against the run will be extremely valuable for the Jags and in the AFC South. The Jags ranked 23rd against the rush last season and that’s not where they want to be in a division with Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry.

The Jags signed Fatukasi partly because of his familiarity with Jags defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, who was with the Jets when Fatukasi was drafted. Just as the front office did, Caldwell liked how the former sixth-round pick had developed over the years and wanted him in black and teal.

Fatukasi’s addition is one that makes some feel the Jags’ defense can be in the top half of the league against the run. When factoring in the additions made alongside him like the signings of Foye Oluokun and the draft selections of Devin Lloyd and Travon Walker, those fans have every reason to feel a sense of optimism.

DT Folorunso Fatukasi believes he can be more than a run-stuffer with the Jaguars

The Jags signed DT Foley Fatukasi to bolster their run defense but he believes he can help with their pass rush, too.

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense surrendered the 10th most rushing yards last season, according to StatMuse. To help bolster a defensive line unit that struggled in that area, general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson signed former New York Jets defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi to a three-year, $30-million deal during free agency.

Fatukasi said he believes that he can be more than a run-stuffer with the Jaguars when he met with the local media last week. So far in his NFL career, he has been known as a defender who can help teams slow down the run but wants to showcase that he can be a pass-rushing threat, too.

“I feel like there’s more to everybody’s game,” Fatukasi said. “I definitely feel like there’s more to my game and I’m definitely excited to work on it and tap into that. Like I said, all it took was for one person and a group of people to believe in me. That goes a long way when someone believes in you, so I’m definitely willing to work to see how much further I can get to my own style of play, a better style of play, a smarter style of play.”

He’s also excited to team up with defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell who was an assistant with the Jets during his rookie season. Fatukasi said he’s spoken to him about his role in Caldwell’s defense but is focused on developing good chemistry with his teammates and learning the playbook first.

“I mean, there’s been talks about certain things, but as we get closer to that time, we’ll start to really see how we mesh and how we utilize each person, including myself,” Fatukasi said. “First thing’s first, we’ve got to come in, get acclimated with the guys, understand my playbook and we can run from there.”

Fatukasi will join a young Jags defensive line group that also includes notables like DaVon Hamilton, Jay Tufele, and Roy Robertson-Harris, to name a few. His addition should help their presence in the trenches when it comes to their play within the AFC South especially, as they’ve struggled to stop notables like Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry. But if their pass-rush is bolstered by Fatukasi, that would be a huge plus for the team, too, as the Jags play some talented passing attacks.

2022 NFL free agency: DT Foley Fatukasi expected to sign with Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to sign former New York Jets defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi.

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered NFL free agency as a franchise with lots of money to spend. They had over $38 million in cap space heading into the start of it Monday and wasted no time signing free agents once it began.

So far, Jacksonville has signed guard Brandon Scherff, wide receiver Christian Kirk and linebacker Foye Oluokun. Now Jacksonville has reportedly signed former New York Jets defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi, according to NFL Networks’ Mike Garafolo. He reported Monday afternoon that Fatukasi signed a three-year, $30 million deal, with $20 million guaranteed.

Fatukasi is still in the prime of his career at 27-years-old and has spent the last four seasons playing with the Jets since they drafted him in the sixth round in 2018. He has seen a jump in his performance over the last two seasons and emerged as a full-time starter next to Quinnen Williams in 2021.

Last season, he accumulated 46 tackles, five tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits. He started eight games in 2020, racking up 42 tackles, six tackles for loss, and a pair of sacks.

He should immediately slot in as a starter and provide help to a Jaguars defense that struggled to stop the run mightily last season.

Jets DT Foley Fatukaski intends to sign with Jaguars

Foley Fatukaski will head to the Jaguars on a three-year, $30 million deal after spending the past four seasons with the Jets.

Foley Fatukasi won’t return to the Jets in 2022.

The Jaguars intend to sign the Jets defensive tackle to a three-year, $30 million deal with $20 million fully guaranteed, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Fatukasi spent the past four years in New York after the Jets picked him in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. He tallied 115 combined tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 14 QB hits and three sacks in 45 games for the Jets. The New York City native started 15 games for the Jets in 2021.

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