Nothing illustrates the Jacksonville Jaguars’ current team-building strategy than this data point through the first week of free agency:
Forty-eight players changed teams for contracts averaging at least $10 million … and none were signed by the Jaguars.
Frenetic free-agent work last year (eight players added via multi-year contracts) has been replaced by emphasizing the retention of their free agents before they hit the market and accumulating beaucoup compensatory draft capital.
Going 13-4 in the first year of his administration allows Jaguars general manager James Gladstone to get the benefit of the doubt. He mostly pushed the right buttons in last year’s aforementioned shopping spree, but the organizational pivot shifts the focus to how he handles his second draft.
Gladstone has 11 picks in his satchel, but none in the top 55. From Nos. 56-100, he has four picks (56, 81, 88 and 100).
The Jaguars’ key moves last week were re-signing top cornerback Buster Brown and base-package linebacker Dennis Gardeck and signing Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr.
That means the Jaguars have painted themselves into a corner come draft time and have to fill multiple holes on defense, right? Well …
“The best way to think about that is, right now, what we’ve structured is we don’t have to necessarily pick based on need at any specific spot,” Gladstone said during a video conference last week. “That’s a luxury.”
Few starting spots open
First off, do we really buy/agree with Gladstone’s don’t-have-to-draft-for-need opinion?
Kind of, sort of.
The Jaguars’ roster isn’t a blank canvas. Not even close. When training camp starts in late July, there won’t be many battles for starting positions; the competitions to monitor will be at the back end of the roster.
On offense, I count 10 of the 11 starting spots as mostly secure. The only one is running back, where Rodriguez and Bayshul Tuten will compete to replace Travis Etienne even though both will play plenty.
On defense, I count nine of the 12 starting spots (including the nickel back) as mostly secure. That leaves defensive tackle, outside linebacker and safety to potentially replace Arik Armstead if he is released to free up post-June 1 cap space, Devin Lloyd (now in Carolina) and Andrew Wingard (now in Arizona), respectively.
So, to Gladstone’s point, the Jaguars have positioned themselves nicely to the extent he won’t have to trade way up from 56 in Round 2 or way up from 81 in Round 3 if their preferred choices are flying off the board.
“When I was with the Los Angeles Rams (from 2016-24), there were too many drafts, and I’ve got to live with this, where you felt pressed to take a specific position,” Gladstone said. “And there were instances where it worked out fine for us. There were instances where it didn’t.”
But it doesn’t mean the Jaguars should adopt a Best Player Available Plan, either. They need help on defense.
Draft must emphasize defense
Questions, I have ’em.
Do the Jaguars believe:
* Maason Smith will rebound from his dud-of-a-2025 to start at defensive tackle and provide an interior pass rush?
(They shouldn’t be holding their figurative breath.)
* Danny Striggow and B.J. Green can take big steps forward and add pass rush from the edge?
(They should be in the rotation.)
* Someone from the mix of Jack Kiser, Jalen McLeod or Branson Combs, all rookies last year, can replace Lloyd?
(Help needs to be on the way.)
* Caleb Ransaw, who missed 2025 with a foot injury, or Antonio Johnson (tied for the team lead with five interceptions) can start at safety?
(One of the major camp storylines.)
And those are my draft needs for the Jaguars.
They need to find a defensive tackle who can provide an interior pass rush, an edge rusher who can potentially replace Travon Walker if he leaves after the season, a linebacker who can start right away and a safety to provide depth and eventually replace Eric Murray.
Signing Rodriguez last week means running back should not be a Day 2 (rounds 2-3) priority.
Trading up from 56 into the first round is unlikely and wouldn’t be prudent, either, because it would rob Gladstone of several darts to fire at the board. But when Day 2 starts on April 24, the Jaguars will tell us via their actions what they think of their current defensive depth chart.
“Walking into the door on Day 2, as it stands right now, we’re not saying, ‘We need to (draft) this position at this spot,’” Gladstone said. “I’m excited about that. It means we can really take somebody that we have a clear vision for.”
That vision needs to be trained on the defense.
Contact O’Halloran at rohalloran@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars GM James Gladstone: We won’t have to draft out of roster need
Reporting by Ryan O’Halloran, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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