Tag: Roy Robertson-Harris

Jaguars need to get under $224.8 million salary cap in 2023

The NFL bumped the salary cap way up for the 2023 season, but the Jaguars still have work to do to get underneath it.

The NFL informed teams Monday that the salary cap for the 2023 season will be set at $224.8 million, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

That’s a massive increase from the $208.2 million cap of the 2022 season, but still a hair under Over The Cap’s original projection of a $225 million cap. That slight adjustment means the Jacksonville Jaguars are currently set to be $22,217,686 over the salary cap next season. Only four teams (Vikings, Titans, Buccaneers, and Saints) are deeper in the hole.

Fortunately for Jacksonville, there are some easy ways to clear large chunks of space.

Veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who underplayed early in the year before missing most of the season due to injury, can be cut in the offseason and save the Jaguars $13,147,059. The team could save another $7.8 million by cutting defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris, although a restructured deal may be the preferred solution.

“There’s ways to maneuver the cap, and there’s ways to extend things into the future, but you’ve also got to be smart and diligent when you’re doing that,” Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said last week.

Tight end Evan Engram, right tackle Jawaan Taylor, and pass rusher Arden Key are among the Jaguars players who are set to become free agents this offseason.

Roy Robertson-Harris: ‘No more coming to Jacksonville getting easy dubs’

The Jaguars are done being a pushover.

When Doug Pederson took over as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, he was tasked with turning around the culture of a team with four straight last place finishes in the AFC South.

It was a team that needed to learn how to win and that was on full display early in the 2022 season when the Jaguars repeatedly lost games they probably (and sometimes definitely) should’ve won.

It’s safe to say the Jaguars have figured it out.

“Ain’t no more coming to Jacksonville getting easy dubs,” Jaguars defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris told reporters after their 31-30 playoff win Saturday, via the Florida Times-Union. “We’re going to play ’til the end and you’re going to have to fight us.”

Or in the words of safety Rayshawn Jenkins, the Jaguars are cockroaches who can’t be killed.

A lack of respect for the Jaguars from players around the NFL isn’t a new phenomenon. Back in 2017, Michael Bennett of the Seattle Seahawks talked about how often games in the NFL come down to one point, “unless you’re playing the Jags or something, then it’s decided by 50.”

Jacksonville proved him wrong that year by making a run to the AFC Championship, but the franchise quickly fell back into disarray.

Regardless how the rest of the playoffs go for the Jaguars, something more sustainable seems to have been built in Jacksonville. And Robertson-Harris is right, the Jaguars are a pushover no more.

Jaguars’ Travis Etienne, Zay Jones limited in practice again Thursday

Travis Etienne and Zay Jones were limited in practice again Thursday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars got Roy Robertson-Harris back at practice Thursday after the veteran defensive lineman missed Wednesday due to an illness. That was the only change on the team’s injury report.

Still limited were starters Travis Etienne Jr, Zay Jones, and Andre Cisco, who are dealing with foot, chest, and shoulder injuries, respectively.

Etienne is the only one of those three players who missed time during the Jaguars’ 28-27 win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12. Coaches say the second-year running back “insists” he’s ready to return to action in Week 13, but offensive coordinator Press Taylor says the team will lean on the advice of medical staff.

Very little changed for the Lions from Wednesday to Thursday, as well. The most notable difference in the reports was second-year offensive tackle Penei Sewell returned on a limited basis after missing the entire day Wednesday.

While both guard Jonah Jackson and cornerback Jeff Okudah were both listed as limited again after missing Week 12 due to concussions, neither player wore non-contact jerseys at practice Thursday.

5 Jaguars players to watch vs. Broncos in Week 8

These five players need to show up in a big way in London.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are seventh in total offense and have allowed the 10th fewest points in the NFL, but through seven weeks, they’re in the same exact place as the 2-5 Denver Broncos.

While the stats say the Jaguars should have a better record, the numbers say the Broncos are right about where they should be. Denver is dead last in scoring and keeps losing, despite having a top three defense.

Jacksonville keeps losing games it should win, though. It’s favored in Week 8, but lost the first two games it was favored in this season.

Here are five players who need to have a big day in London to keep the Jaguars from extending their losing streak to five:

Game of the Week: How the Eagles can beat the Jaguars

How can the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in what might be the NFL’s game of the year? Doug Farrar investigates the stats and tape.

If, before the 2022 started, you wanted to place a bet that the Week 4 matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars might be the game of the year so far… well, your odds would have been remarkable, and if you did make that bet, you should get to Les Vegas as soon as possible, because you were seeing things very few people saw.

But here we are, and when these two teams kick off at 1:00 p.m. EST at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, the eyes of the NFL will be upon it. The 3-0 Eagles are benefiting from a radically redefined defense and the impressive development of quarterback Jalen Hurts, while the Jaguars under new head coach Doug Pederson are far more than a nice-culture feel-good story following the disaster that was Urban Meyer.

We might be dealing with the NFL’s two best teams right now. The Jaguars currently rank second behind the Buffalo Bills in Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric, and the Eagles rank fourth. The Jags lost a close one to the Washington Commanders in the season opener as they were still figuring a few things out. Since then, they shut out the Indianapolis Colts, 24-0 in Week 2, and demolished the Los Angeles Chargers, 38-10 last Sunday. Seemingly every free-agent signing and draft pick has worked out incredibly well for Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, and this is now a legitimate contender on both sides of the ball.

The Eagles haven’t really stumbled at all. They’re 3-0, they’ve beaten their opponents by a combined score of 86-50, and just as has been the case for the Jaguars, all the moves made by general manager Howie Roseman this past offseason — from free agency, the trade for Titans receiver A.J. Brown, and through the draft — well, it’s been aces overall.

Perhaps most importantly, Hurts’ development as a quarterback (he currently ranks fifth in DVOA and sixth in DYAR) means that when the 2023 offseason comes around, the question that was is no more — do the Eagles have to use their cap dollars and/or multiple first-round draft picks to address the game’s most important position?

Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, who was understandably put in a vice by the unforgivably bad coaching by Meyer and his subordinates, currently ranks third among quarterbacks in both DVOA and DYAR. So, no problems there.

There are so many interesting matchups in this game, one All-22 article wasn’t going to get it done. My esteemed colleague Laurie Fitzpatrick has written about how the Jaguars can beat the Eagles; you can read that at the link below.

Game of the Week: How the Jaguars can beat the Eagles

The Jaguars have announced their presence with authority, but the Eagles are eager to move to 4-0. Here’s me on how the Eagles can pull that off.

Roy Robertson-Harris: ‘It’s fun right now’ to be with the Jaguars

Roy Robertson-Harris says it’s a blast being a part of the Jaguars this year.

Not many people were having fun during Urban Meyer’s time as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. There’s a lot more positivity now that Doug Pederson is holding the reins.

In an appearance on the O-Zone Podcast, defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris said he’s having a blast with this year’s Jaguars squad, which is off to a 1-1 start.

“The culture, the locker room, is great,” Robertson-Harris said, via Jaguars.com. “Everybody’s coming together. Everybody’s doing what’s necessary to win. Being an older guy, I like to set the example and go out there and play. I don’t really like to talk much. But a lot of guys are just happy to be here and happy to play ball. We’re just working each week to get a ‘W.’ That’s all it is … little things, every single day.

“It’s fun right now. It’s fun to be playing Jags football.”

Robertson-Harris, 29, is one of the oldest players on the Jaguars defense, younger than only 30-year-old Adam Gotsis and fellow 29-year-old Darious Williams, who is four months older.

Prior to joining the Jaguars as a free agent in 2021, Robertson-Harris spent the first four seasons of his career with the Chicago Bears. During his podcast appearance, he said he has no regrets about joining a team that was the worst in the league last season.

“This is a fun team to be a part of,” Robertson-Harris said. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now.”

Last week, Robertson-Harris recorded a sack of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan and he has two tackles for a loss through two weeks.

Jaguars channeling their ‘Sacksonville’ days as they dominate the Colts

Touchdown Wire’s Laurie Fitzpatrick details how the Jaguars’ defense beat up the Colts, and why “Sacksonville” is back in Duval County.

History repeated itself as the Jacksonville Jaguars once again took down the Indianapolis Colts in Jacksonville. The Jaguars are 4-0 against Frank Reich at home and haven’t lost a to the Colts at home since 2014.

The defense was the highlight of the day for the Jaguars, as they forced a shutout and only allowing the Colts offense to see the red zone twice. Stopping them on both fourth down attempts in the fourth quarter. Matt Ryan only completed 16 passes for 195 yards. The Jaguars defense had three interceptions and totaled five sacks on the day, leaving Ryan with a 34.0 passer rating.

What was even more impressive was how they shut down the Colts’ best offensive player, running back Jonathan Taylor. He ended the day with only 54 yards on the ground.

Here is what Doug Pederson had to say about the defense after the game. “It’s about being physical and just understanding to stay disciplined in your run fits and your eye discipline on things… It was a focus for us this week in practice and [it’s] just a credit to how hard our guys worked to understand and then eliminate the run.”

Let’s dive into the defense, specifically up front, to see how they were able to stop the Colts’ offense with pressure!

Secret Superstars for Week 2 of the 2022 NFL season

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar points out the NFL’s great performances by unheralded players in his weekly Secret Superstars team.

There are all kinds of reasons that NFL players are underrated.

Perhaps they’re in systems that don’t best show their skills. Maybe they’re buried on a depth chart. Or, they’re in somebody’s doghouse, and their coaches can’t see their potential. Sometimes, young players haven’t quite put it all together, but there are enough flashes to make you sit up and take notice, and when it does work, it’s all good.

Week 1 of the 2022 regular season features players at every position who showed up and showed out despite their underrated statuses, and here at Touchdown Wire, it’s our job to point them out.

Here are the Secret Superstars for Week 2 of the 2022 NFL season.

5 studs, 0 duds from the Jaguars’ 24-0 win vs. the Colts

Choosing studs and duds is a weekly column around here, but how in the world could I pick any duds from the Jaguars’ 24-0 win Sunday?

Choosing studs and duds is a weekly column around here, but how in the world could I pick any duds from the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 24-0 win Sunday?

The Jaguars methodically picked apart the Indianapolis Colts defense on lengthy touchdown drives, forced five turnovers (three interceptions and two on downs), and recorded their first shutout in four years.

So here’s an all-studs edition with the five players who stood out most in the dominant victory:

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.

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