Which Jaguars Roles Will Be Most Impacted By Jacksonville's Free Agency?

With eight new free agents added to the roster, which players stand the most to lose due to the Jaguars' free agency haul?

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a distinct shift in priorities this offseason. After several offseasons of not swinging for the fences for big-name free agents, the Jaguars signed several top-tier options this March and went on a spending spree the likes of which few teams have seen.

The Jaguars gave eye-popping deals to wide receiver Christian Kirk, guard Brandon Scherff and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, as well as paying cornerback Darious Williams, wide receiver Zay Jones and defensive lineman Foley Fatukasi considerable deals.

Add in nearly $10 million for one year of Evan Engram and a one-year, $7 million deal for Arden Key and the Jaguars made sure to open their pocketbooks this March in hopes of filling as many roster holes as possible before the draft.

But now the Jaguars' have to figure out how all of the pieces fit together and what it means for 2022 and beyond. In their efforts to do so, they will rearrange the depth chart and present a dramatically different roster than what we saw in 2021.

We have already discussed the biggest winners of the Jaguars' free agency period, but what about the flip side? Which players on the roster could now see their roles and snaps severely impacted by the incoming veterans?

WR Laviska Shenault

This one isn't too hard to figure out, even if it does seem a bit unfair to Laviska Shenault based on the dysfunction surrounding the Jaguars' offense last year. There is no questioning that Shenault struggled last year and the Jaguars needed to look for insurance policies in the event the former second-round pick didn't rebound, but the Jaguars instead seem to have found replacements in free agency. 

Shenault struggled with drops last year after catching 73.4% of his targets in 2020. He caught just 63% in 2021 as Pro Football Reference credited him with eight drops. Add in the fact that last year showed he is more or less a slot-only player at this time and it makes it hard to see him as an impact piece of the offense with Evan Engram, Christian Kirk, and Zay Jones added to the offense. The first of those two names are best out of the slot, while Jones has the ability to take snaps there as well.

Shenault deserves another chance after his bad 2021, but it is tough to see that chance coming in the Jaguars' current setup. He needs a defined role and the Jaguars have added several bodies to that role that will likely take precedence over him.

DL Malcom Brown

One of the key veteran additions the Jaguars made last season, it is tougher today to see Malcom Brown as a clear and bonafide starter. Brown was the Jaguars' best interior defensive lineman last season, consistently holding hard at the point of attack against the run. There are a few timelines working against Brown in 2022, however, namely due to new defensive lineman Foley Fatukasi.

Fatukasi will likely take snaps from Brown immediately after the Jaguars signed the former Jets defender to a three-year, $30 million deal with $20 million in guaranteed money. Fatukasi is going to see the field immediately, both due to the higher investment the Jaguars have in him and due to the fact that he is a younger, more explosive and more disruptive option than Brown. Add in the fact that DaVon Hamilton seems poised to take another step in 2022 and the addition of Fatukasi will likely have a significant impact on Brown.

EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson

The days of the Jaguars entering the offseason with K'Lavon Chaisson in the picture as an answer at pass-rusher are gone after a 2021 season where he produced one sack and played just 39% of the snaps. Chaisson should have played more, but the coaching staff and front office that drafted him is gone and it is clear he is behind Josh Allen and Dawuane Smoot in the pecking order.

Considering the eventual pass-rushing rookie draft pick was already going to knock Chaisson even further down the depth chart, it is hard to not see him as majorly impacted by the addition of Arden Key. Key signed just a one-year deal with the Jaguars, but he makes more sense as a rotational edge behind Josh Allen and a rookie pass-rusher than Chaisson does considering his advantages in size, length and strength.

TE Dan Arnold

Similar to Laviska Shenault, Dan Arnold is going to see his role impacted because the Jaguars have now added players who bring similar things to the table that he does. Arnold is lucky the Jaguars are likely to emphasize the tight end position in Doug Pederson and Press Taylor's offense, but that doesn't change the impact of Evan Engram on Arnold's role.

Like Engram, Arnold is best as a move tight end who is more like a big receiver than a true tight end. Both can split out wide, play in the slot and even run routes from out of the backfield as H-backs. But they play conflicting roles and the Jaguars can't ever really have them on the field at the same time if they want a prayer running the ball, which could mean fewer snaps for Arnold than previously anticipated. 

EDGE Jordan Smith

Jordan Smith was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft with the entire idea that he would be a long-term developmental pick. As such, the former UAB pass-rusher played in just two games last season, a total of 21 snaps. His rookie year was more or less a wash, leading to 2022 being a key year for his development.

It is tougher and tougher to see him getting many snaps as things stand today, though. The Jaguars have already added one member to the defensive end room in Arden Key, who will likely be the team's No. 3 or No. 4 edge rusher. Add in the fact that a rookie edge rusher early in the draft seems like a guarantee and Smith looks like he will have to fight with K'Lavon Chaisson for the No. 5 spot -- a battle Chaisson would likely have the edge in.

DB Rudy Ford

The Jaguars had a big need at slot cornerback in 2021 after moving Tyson Campbell to the outside after just a handful of games following the CJ Henderson trade. That void was mostly filled by do-it-all defensive back Rudy Ford, the safety and core special teamer the Jaguars signed last offseason. Ford had impressed enough to earn a dime role on the defense before officially finding his role in the slot, which consisted of a breakout performance against the Bills.

Ford certainly won't answer the summer as the favorite to start in the slot, though. Not after the signing of cornerback Darious Williams, who figures to likely fit into the slot alongside Campbell and Shaquill Griffin. Or maybe Griffin slides inside. Maybe even Campbell goes back inside, which would seem unwise but could always be an option. It is a three-man cornerback room, though, and it seems Ford will be at best a backup in the slot after the addition of Williams gave the Jaguars' secondary some much-needed versatility.