Jaguars sign LB Foye Oluokun to 3-year extension

The Jaguars locked down their defensive team captain Foye Oluokun with a new deal that runs through the 2027 season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are signing linebacker Foye Oluokun to a three-year contract extension, according to his agent AJ Vaynerchuk.

Oluokun, 28, was due to play on the last season of the three-year contract he signed with the Jaguars in free agency during the 2022 offseason. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the new deal is a four-year contract worth $45 million with $22.5 million guaranteed.

While the exact framework of the deal hasn’t yet been revealed, the contract will likely save the Jaguars cap space for the 2024 season. Oluokun was due to count $21,750,668 against the cap next year and $7,752,000 in 2025 after a restructure last year tacked a few void years on to his deal.

Oluokun led the NFL with 184 tackles during the 2022 season and finished fourth in 2023 with 173 tackles. Oluokun also recorded 2.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, and his first career pick-six in 2023.

In his two seasons with the Jaguars, Oluokun has earned team captain honors both times.

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Arik Armstead reveals ‘disrespectful’ 49ers offer that ended tenure

Arik Armstead says he was “extremely disrespected” by the 49ers’ contract offer and decided to bet on himself in free agency.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ biggest addition in March, both physically and financially, was 6’7 defensive lineman Arik Armstead.

Armstead, 30, hit the free agency market when he was released by the San Francisco 49ers earlier this month after nine seasons with the team. In an episode of his Third and Long podcast released Thursday, Armstead revealed the details of his frustrating negotiations with the 49ers that eventually resulted in his release.

“They did notify me that they did want to extend me,” Armstead said. “They wanted me to be a Niner for life and remain on the team, but they didn’t say what that number would be at. The offseason kept progressing and, finally, they told me I was going to have to take a significant pay cut.”

That wasn’t too surprising as Armstead was due to count $28.35 million against the 49ers’ salary cap in 2024. That would’ve been the highest for any NFL defensive lineman following Aaron Donald’s contract restructure and retirement.

But the drastic difference in pay that was proposed by the 49ers insulted Armstead.

“They extended an offer to me of $6 million on a one-year deal with incentives to go up to like $8 [million],” Armstead said. “When they sent that over, I did feel extremely disrespected. I don’t feel that that level of compensation is nowhere near the type of player that I am.

“Not even just the type of player that I am. What I have committed to the game, what I’ve committed to my team, what I’ve committed to the organization and my community. I didn’t feel like it was representative of who I am as a player and a person.”

Armstead, a four-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, said he had moments of self-doubt before coming to a revelation about his worth.

“Just talking to myself, I was like ‘Nah bro, if 32 teams had an opportunity to have me on their team for $6 million, I think every team in the league would do that in a heartbeat.’ Once I made that decision in my head, I was like I can’t accept this,” Armstead said.

The bet on himself clearly paid off as he scooped up $28 million guaranteed from the Jaguars and is due to make $43.5 million over the next three years.

Yet, despite the rocky end to his time with the 49ers, Armstead also said he isn’t holding any grudges.

“First off, I don’t have any animosity toward the organization, Kyle [Shanahan], John [Lynch], the York family” Armstead said. “I have a lot of respect and admiration for them and my time with them. Even with this situation, it’s not on me to decide how they want to build their team and who they want to pay and how they want to build they roster. That’s not my decision. Business is business.”

That business led Armstead to reunite with the general manager who drafted him, Trent Baalke, in Jacksonville.

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Arik Armstead ‘disrespected’ by 49ers contract offer

The veteran defensive tackle reveals he was “disrespected” by a contract offer from the 49ers.

While free agency has brought in a wave of new faces for the San Francisco 49ers, the start of their offseason was headlined by a notable departure. After reportedly wanting Arik Armstead to take a pay cut, the 49ers released the veteran defensive lineman at the start of free agency.

After becoming a free agent, Armstead inked a 3-year, $51 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

During his recent podcast “Third and Long” via The Tidal League, Armstead spoke about his departure from San Francisco and feeling “disrespected” by the 49ers contract offer.

Via Third and Long – The Tidal League:

They extended an offer to me of $6 million for a one-year deal with incentives to go up to like eight. When they sent that over, I did feel extremely disrespected. I don’t feel that level of compensation is nowhere near the type of player that I am — not even just the type of player that I am —  it’s what I’ve committed to the game, what I’ve committed to my team, what I’ve committed to my organization and my community. I didn’t feel like it was representative of who I am as a player and a person.

I put a lot into what I do. I’m not just a guy who goes to practice, goes home, and does all the bare minimum team stuff just to get by. I’m a guy who watches the most film, invests the most time in my body, preparation, working on my game, and working on my craft. I have a real passion for this—a true love for this.

I know for a fact that I do a lot more than a majority of players. I put a lot more into football than a majority of players. I think that has value as well too. Also too I value myself as a player in a multitude of ways in what I do. My approach. My intrinsic value as well. I didn’t feel like that offer was anywhere near the level of compensation for a player like me.

Listen to Armstead’s full podcast via YouTube:

Armstead was the No. 17 overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Oregon. In nine seasons with the 49ers, Armstead racked up 32.5 sacks and 43 tackles for loss.

With Armstead signing in Jacksonville, the 49ers brought in multiple players on the defensive line in free agency. Leonard Floyd, Yetur Gross-Matos, Jordan Elliot all signed with the 49ers along with acquiring veteran defensive tackle Maliek Collins in a trade with the Houston Texans.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

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DaVon Hamilton ‘trending in the right direction’ after tough 2023

Doug Pederson is optimistic that DaVon Hamilton will be back to himself in 2024 after his 2023 season was derailed.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton is on the path back to full strength after his 2023 season was derailed by a non-football related back issue.

“All indications this offseason are that he’s trending in the right direction; he’s getting back,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters earlier this week. “I’m excited for that and I know he is too. We missed that piece last year and, even though he played late [in the season], he just wasn’t the same.”

Hamilton received a contract extension last year and appeared primed for a breakout season when an infection from a spinal abscess sidelined him in August.

“A lot of stuff was going on,” Hamilton told Jaguars.com in December. “A lot of side effects were going on. I was in a weird place. This isn’t really a normal illness, or a normal infection people get. It was very strange. I feel very fortunate. There was a lot of stuff that could have happened. I could be not playing football permanently.”

Hamilton returned in October, but only played 30 snaps in two games before he was scratched for the next two. By the season’s end, Hamilton appeared in eight games but earned a dismal 36.2 grade from PFF — less than half his 72.6 grade from 2022.

Without much help from the 335-pound defensive tackle, the Jaguars struggled to generate much pressure from the interior as Josh Allen and Travon Walker combined for more than two-thirds of the team’s sack total. Jacksonville also allowed three of its last six opponents to rack up more than 150 rushing yards.

The Jaguars opened up the pocketbooks to add Arik Armstead to their defensive line to help fix those issues. But getting a renewed version of Hamilton would go a long way too.

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2024 projected win totals for each NFC East team

We’re looking at a ranking of all four NFC East teams including the Philadelphia Eagles by 2024 win total predictions

We’re about 40 days from the 2024 NFL schedule reveal, but the world and Eagles fans already know who their opponents will be.

The league uses multiple factors to determine the year’s game schedule.

There’s a cycle of inter-conference faceoffs; each NFC division rotates through each AFC division every four seasons and the other NFC divisions every three seasons.

In addition, where a team finishes within their division dictates a same-finish matchup with one team from the opposite conference and whichever divisions aren’t in the rotation for that season.

Philadelphia previously had one of the more difficult schedules over the past two years, but 2024 will see the Eagles among the top ten easiest schedules based on win-loss percentages from last year.

Offering an early glimpse into where the Eagles could finish this season, DraftKings revealed a 2024 win total prediction for all 32 teams, and Philadelphia landed at No. 6 on the list.

Here’s where all four NFC East teams are projected to land.

Jaguars signing former Packers TE Josiah Deguara to 1-year deal

The Jaguars are adding former third-round pick Josiah Deguara to their tight end room.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are adding former Green Bay Packers tight end Josiah Deguara on a one-year deal, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

Deguara, a third-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, caught 47 passes for 436 yards and two touchdowns in his four seasons with the Packers.

While he may not offer the Jaguars much help as a receiver, he could earn a spot on the roster for his prowess as a run blocker and a special teamer. More than half of Deguara’s 212 offensive snaps in 2023 were on run plays (117) and he was a core special teamer for the Packers.

With a new kickoff rule in place, it will be important for NFL teams to find players capable of bottling up opposing returners and the Jaguars will want to find players who can help spring Devin Duvernay free.

As a tight end, Deguara will have a hard time climbing up the depth chart. The Jaguars have a star at the top in Evan Engram and invested a second-round pick into Brenton Strange. There’s also Luke Farrell, who similarly contributed most often as a run blocker and special teamer.

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Ole Miss CB Deantre Prince reportedly scheduled to visit Jaguars

The Jaguars are set to take a closer look at an under-the-radar cornerback prospect from Ole Miss.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will host Ole Miss cornerback Deantre Prince on a Top 30 visit ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, according to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network.

In four seasons with Ole Miss, Prince recorded six interceptions, six tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and 27 passes defended.

The 6’0, 183-pound corner put up impressive numbers at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine where he recorded a 4.38 40-yard dash and 125-inch broad jump.

While Fowler says there’s “substantial buzz” around Prince, including “multiple private workouts,” few expect the Ole Miss alum to land early in the 2024 NFL draft. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote that he “could” be a Day 3 selection with “a chance to become a CB4/5.” In a recent seven-round mock draft from Matt Miller of ESPN, Prince wasn’t selected.

Jacksonville added cornerback Ronald Darby in free agency, but that only filled the void left by the team’s decision to release Darious Williams. The Jaguars adding more talent at the position in the draft appears likely.

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Jaguars reportedly met with LSU receiver Malik Nabers before pro day

Could the Jaguars be interested in trading up high enough in the draft order to land LSU’s Malik Nabers?

The Jacksonville Jaguars were one of a handful of teams that met with LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers a day before his pro day workout Wednesday, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.

Nabers is widely expected to be a top 10, perhaps even a top five, selection in the 2024 NFL draft. The other five teams listed by Wolfe that met with Nabers — the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, and New York Jets — all own top 10 selections.

For the Jaguars, owners of the No. 17 pick in the first round, to land Nabers, they would likely need to make a big trade to move high up the draft order.

It’s not a far-fetched scenario for Jacksonville, which has been aggressive in its efforts to turn a roster with back-to-back 9-8 seasons into a Super Bowl contender. The Jaguars made several moves in free agency, including the addition of former Bills receiver Gabe Davis, but was unable to retain wide receiver Calvin Ridley.

That has left the receiver position in need of some additional work and hunting for a mid-round player to fill that void might not do the trick.

The Jaguars’ interest in Nabers isn’t the first indication that the team could be interested in a big swing to upgrade their receiving corps. Earlier in March, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Jaguars were showing interest in Washington’s Rome Odunze, another receiver expected to land in the top 10 selections.

Nabers finished the 2023 season with 1,569 receiving yards and 14 touchdown receptions.

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Devin Duvernay was a wise investment for Jaguars with new kickoff rule

Devin Duvernay stands to get a ton of opportunities to make big plays for the Jaguars thanks to the NFL’s new kickoff rules.

Just a couple weeks ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars wasted no time signing former Baltimore Ravens return specialist Devin Duvernay to a two-year, $8.5 million contract. It wasn’t exactly a costly addition, but it already looks like a wise and prescient investment.

On Tuesday, the NFL passed a new kickoff rule with two key goals: less injuries and more returns. Here’s everything you need to know:

  • The kicking team will kick off from its own 35-yard line.
  • 10 members of the kicking team will line up on the receiving team’s 40-yard line (25 yards in front of their kicker).
  • A minimum of nine members of the receiving team will line up between their own 30- and 35-yard lines (five-to-10 yards in front of the 10 members of the kicking team).
  • The receiving team can have zero, one or two players inside their own 30-yard line to receive the kickoff.
  • The play begins when the ball is either caught, hits the ground in the landing zone (inside the 20-yard line before the goal line) or is returned from the end zone. That’s when players can begin moving.
  • Any kick that hits the landing zone must be returned.
  • Any kick that bounces from the landing zone into the end zone must be returned or kneeled for a touchback (with possession going out to the 20-yard line).
  • If a kick doesn’t reach the landing zone, the receiving team gets possession at its 40-yard line.
  • If the ball enters the end zone in the air, the receiving team can return it or kneel it for possession at its 30-yard line.
  • If the ball is kicked out of bounds, the receiving team gets possession at its 40-yard line.
  • There are no fair catches.
  • Onside kicks are only permitted in the fourth quarter and must be declared to officials.

All of that translates to a play that looks a little something like this:

There’s not much incentive for kicking teams to boot it into the end zone and there’s every reason to expect Duvernay to get a ton of opportunities to make plays.

In Baltimore, Duvernay twice earned Pro Bowl honors and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. For the relatively low cost of $4.25 million per season, the Jaguars added arguably the best player in the NFL at a position that suddenly looks significantly more valuable.

Jacksonville’s moves to bring back special teamers Daniel Thomas and Caleb Johnson also aged well, as it’ll be important to have gunners capable of getting down the field and bottling up opposing returners.

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D.J. Chark details ‘toxic’ environment that doomed the 2018 Jaguars

Former Jaguars receiver DJ Chark shared a couple stories about the “toxic” locker room he walked into in 2018.

When DJ Chark was picked by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2018 NFL draft, he joined a team fresh off a trip to the AFC Championship. But in his four seasons with the Jaguars, the team won just 15 combined games.

So how did a team loaded with talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, fall apart so fast?

In an appearance on a podcast hosted by Marlon Humphrey of the Baltimore Ravens, Chark said things were a mess behind the scenes in Jacksonville.

“When I first got there, there was times where — this might be like OTAs — the d-line would be beefing with the corners,” Chark said. “The linemen are like ‘we’re getting all these picks and takeaways because we’re getting to the quarterback.’ And the corners are like ‘Y’all getting these sacks, because we’re covering everybody.'”

Perhaps the biggest personality in the locker room at the time, Jalen Ramsey, took to social media to deny Chark’s claim.

Later, Chark detailed another small issue that snowballed into something more in the locker room.

“I remember two people arguing over who uses the handicap shower,” Chark said. “The handicap shower always had a little seat you can shower in, you can take the seat. A player claimed that, ‘This is my shower.’ So when somebody else used it, it was a problem.”

After the 2018 season, the Jaguars parted with Malik Jackson and Tashaun Gipson, Ramsey was traded during the 2019 season, and A.J. Bouye, Calais Campbell, and Yannick Ngakoue were all traded in 2020.

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