JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The NFL’s new league year began Wednesday at 4 p.m., and with it, the start of free agency. News4JAX sports editor Justin Barney and sports anchor Jamal St. Cyr give their grades on the class.
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Jamal St. Cyr, C+
This class is perfectly average. Not much flash, not much splash. Just average. And the crazy part is I don’t say that as a bad thing. The Jaguars were below average last year, so average is good. My favorites of the bunch are Jourdan Lewis and Patrick Mekari. I think both of them will be good additions and help to solidify weaknesses on the Jags roster. I’m the most interested in Dyami Brown because he is another deep-threat receiver for the Jags. Overall, I think these were moves to raise the floor of the roster and set them up to be able to draft the best players instead of going after needs.
Justin Barney, C
It’s a much different type of class than we saw in recent seasons under GM Trent Baalke. Instead of emptying the piggy bank like they did in 2022 by bringing in big (and expensive) names like Evan Engram, Christian Kirk, Darious Williams and others, this is a class that is far more pedestrian. Casual Jaguars fans likely wouldn’t know what teams more than half of this year’s signees played for.
To me, this class said far more about Jacksonville’s mindset under Coen and Gladstone, that it won’t bust open the checkbooks and overpay. The draft is clearly how the new regime wants to build a roster. And I think that’s the right mindset. The lower grade from me is because I think Jacksonville overpaid substantially for players who really didn’t deserve whopping pay raises. Cornerback Jourdan Lewis made $2.8 million last year with the Cowboys; Jacksonville guaranteed him $20 million over three years as part of a $30 million deal. He’s also 30 years old. Don’t like that deal at all. Receiver Dyami Brown is fast, but he also has 59 career catches and four touchdowns in four seasons. I think $10 million is a massive overpay. Two of Jacksonville’s best signings were center Robert Hainsey and guard/tackle Patrick Mekari, players who will reinforce a shaky offensive line.