The open market hasn’t completely bent to Jacksonville’s will. The team made a hard push for Seattle Seahawks receiver Jake Bobo. Seattle held firm, tendering the restricted free agent and forcing the Jaguars to walk away empty-handed. Their only external splash so far? Power running back Chris Rodriguez Jr., pulled from the Washington Commanders to bring some bruising physicality to the backfield.
You could feel the collective exhale inside the Miller Electric Center when Brown’s deal crossed the wire. A seventh-round flyer in 2022, “Buster” clawed his way into the starting lineup and delivered when it mattered most. He racked up 51 tackles and swatted away 12 passes last season. Paying him ensures the defensive staff doesn’t have to rebuild their zone scheme from scratch. It also highlights a rare, organic success story: a late-round draft pick working his way into life-changing money.
Offensively, Coen wants to build on Trevor Lawrence’s career year. Missing out on Bobo stings. The big-bodied receiver would have given Lawrence a reliable red-zone target. Instead, Gladstone is pivoting. Signing Rodriguez Jr. takes the load off the passing game. Rodriguez bulldozed his way to 500 yards and six touchdowns last year. Now, he brings that punishing style to Duval.
“We have something special here. To continue that, it feels great. I’m taking it one day at a time, keeping a chip on my shoulder, using that as fuel and motivation.”
— Montaric Brown, Jaguars Cornerback
Jacksonville’s heartbreaking 27-24 Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills still lingers. The chill in the air that January night hasn’t entirely left the facility. Gladstone and Executive Vice President Tony Boselli know the current roster is built to win the division, but they need an extra gear to survive the AFC gauntlet.
With salary cap constraints tightening the purse strings, the Jaguars are sitting out the remainder of free agency. The focus shifts entirely to the NFL Draft. While the immediate goal is finding day-one contributors for 2026, Gladstone is already stockpiling flexibility for the 2027 NFL Draft. The front office is banking entirely on internal development and Coen’s offensive system to bridge the gap between a first-round exit and a Super Bowl run.
