The Jacksonville Jaguars just had breakthrough season that changed expectations. They didn’t just rebound in 2025. The Jags announced themselves. After years of drifting between promise and frustration, Jacksonville ripped off one of the league’s most dramatic turnarounds. New coach Liam Coen transformed a 4-13 roster into a 13-win AFC South champion. With expectations reset, the Jaguars now enter an offseason where the bar has officially raised.
That’s what makes their abrupt playoff exit sting. Jacksonville is no longer a feel-good story but a contender. Of course, contenders can’t afford to let core pieces walk out the door. That is especially true when those players define the identity of the team on both sides of the ball.
Season recap
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Under Coen and general manager James Gladstone, the Jaguars rebuilt their offense around rhythm, spacing, and efficiency. Franchise QB Trevor Lawrence looked fully re-energized in a West Coast-based system. He spread the ball with confidence and control. The emergence of rookie Travis Hunter as a two-way difference-maker gave Jacksonville a matchup problem few teams could solve. Meanwhile, the defense quietly became one of the league’s most opportunistic units.
That defense peaked during an eight-game winning streak to close the regular season. Devin Lloyd anchored the middle and the pass rush consistently forced mistakes. A Week 18 demolition of Tennessee sealed the AFC’s No. 3 seed and reignited the “Duuuval” swagger that once defined the franchise’s rise.
Then came the crash. In the Wild Card round against Buffalo, Jacksonville played well enough to win, until it didn’t. Josh Allen engineered a late comeback, the secondary cracked under pressure, and a tipped interception ended the Jaguars’ season. That 27-24 loss felt less like a failure and more like an unfinished sentence.
Offseason priorities
The Jaguars enter the 2026 offseason with a clear mandate: don’t regress. Interior defensive line help remains a pressing need, particularly with uncertainty around Arik Armstead’s future. The offensive line must be upgraded to keep Lawrence upright after bouts of uneven pass protection. And the secondary, despite its upside, lacks proven depth if veterans walk.
That said, before Jacksonville chases external fixes, it must lock down the internal pillars that made 2025 possible. Letting the wrong veterans leave would force the front office to spend valuable draft capital plugging holes instead of building on strength.
These three players sit squarely at the center of that decision-making.
LB Devin Lloyd
Key stats: 81 total tackles, 5 interceptions, 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 99-yard pick-six
After the Jaguars declined his fifth-year option, Devin Lloyd responded with the kind of season that changes contract talks overnight. Lloyd evolved from a rangy run defender into one of the NFL’s most dangerous coverage linebackers. He led all linebackers in interceptions and earned AP Second-Team All-Pro honors.
More importantly, Lloyd became the defense’s nerve center. He diagnosed plays before they unfolded and flipped games with takeaways. At 27, he’s not projecting but delivering.
Lloyd is the rare linebacker who can stay on the field in every situation. Losing him would force Jacksonville to overhaul its defensive structure. They would likely spend premium resources chasing a replacement who won’t offer the same instincts or versatility. That would be an unnecessary self-inflicted wound.
RB Travis Etienne Jr
Key stats: 1,107 rushing yards, 292 receiving yards, 13 total touchdowns
Travis Etienne Jr once again proved he is far more than a traditional running back. He posted his third career 1,000-yard rushing season while remaining one of Lawrence’s most trusted outlets in the passing game. When games tightened late in the year, Etienne’s burst turned small creases into momentum-shifting plays. His Wild Card performance against Buffalo had 6.7 yards per carry in a high-pressure environment. That just underscored his value.
Etienne’s chemistry with Lawrence is baked into the offense. He’s a safety valve, a mismatch creator, and a red-zone weapon all at once. Letting him walk would force the Jaguars to redesign their offense around uncertainty, not efficiency. That is a risk they don’t need to take.
CB Greg Newsome II
Key stats: 52 total tackles, 1 interception, 9 passes defensed
Acquired midseason from Cleveland, Greg Newsome II brought immediate stability to a young secondary. He played every meaningful snap down the stretch. Newsome often shadowed top receivers while battling through a shoulder injury. Newsome didn’t rack up gaudy stats, but he eliminated mistakes.
Cornerback depth evaporates quickly in January. With Hunter expected to return and take on an expanded offensive role, Jacksonville needs a proven, reliable cover man who can handle WR1 assignments. Newsome is 25, battle-tested, and fits the timeline of this roster. Re-signing him keeps the draft focused on upgrading the trenches instead of scrambling for secondary help.
Cost of standing still
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The Jaguars are in calibration mode. Re-signing Devin Lloyd, Travis Etienne Jr, and Greg Newsome II is about protecting the infrastructure that turned a 13-win season into the new standard.
Jacksonville didn’t flame out because it lacked talent. It fell short because margins are brutal in January. Keeping these three ensures those margins don’t get thinner in 2026.
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