Jaguars Shopping DT Malik Jackson, RB Carlos Hyde
The Jaguars are apparently looking to move on from a pair of veterans. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the organization is trying to trade defensive tackle Malik Jackson and running back Carlos Hyde. The team is hoping to make a move by the start of the league year on March 13th.
Jackson hasn’t missed a game with the Jaguars since he inked a massive six-year, $85.5MM contract ($31.5MM guaranteed) back in 2016. He started all 32 of his games during his first two seasons in Jacksonville, and he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2017. However, he took a bit of a step back in 2018, and he was ultimately benched for Taven Bryan down the stretch. He finished the season with 32 tackles and 3.5 sacks, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 85th among 112 interior defenders.
Jackson is owed more than $13MM in each of the next three seasons, and his cap hit exceeds $15MM in 2019 and 2020. If a team were to acquire Jackson, they’d surely be looking for him to take a significant pay cut. The Jaguars could also choose to cut the 29-year-old, although they’d be left with $4MM in dead cap in 2019 and $2MM in dead cap in 2020.
Hyde joined the Jaguars in a midseason trade with the Browns, and he proceeded to run for 189 yards and zero touchdowns in eight games (two starts). Hyde has two more years remaining on his deal, but Jacksonville does have the ability to get out of the contract this offseason. With T.J. Yeldon hitting free agency, the team could also decide to retain Hyde as Leonard Fournette insurance.
Jaguars Won’t Trade Jalen Ramsey
Jalen Ramsey has been vocal about his desire for an extension and has clashed with team brass in the past, but he won’t be traded this offseason, GM Dave Caldwell says (via PFT). The Jags also intend on exercising the defensive back’s fifth-year option, so it appears that he’s in their plans moving forward. 
[RELATED: Jaguars Balked At Nick Foles Trade]
“We’re not going to trade Jalen,” Caldwell said. “When you have a player that’s one of the top at his position, it’s hard to replace that player.”
Last year, the 24-year-old (25 in October) tallied 65 total tackles and three interceptions en route to a second career Pro Bowl nod. He had similar numbers in 2017, leading him to a First-Team All-Pro nod.
His outbursts aren’t necessarily well-received in Jacksonville, especially since old-school football figure Tom Coughlin sits above Caldwell, but the team is willing to take the good with the bad.
“He’s highly competitive and I think sometimes that might get the most of him,” Caldwell said. “He just had to learn to curtail some of that stuff.”
Jaguars Balked At Nick Foles Trade
News of the Eagles’ franchise tag-and-trade plan failing emerged because of the Eagles’ inability to talk the Jaguars into making a bid for Foles.
The Jaguars were not interested in trading for Foles, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link), and that led to Howie Roseman shutting down the tag-and-trade process. The Eagles had hoped to place a $25MM tag on their popular backup quarterback, but once the Broncos opted for Joe Flacco and the Jags said they did not want to acquire Foles via trade, Roseman agreed the Eagles would let Foles walk. A 2020 third-round compensatory pick will almost certainly come Philadelphia’s way.
However, the Jaguars remain interested in Foles as a free agent, per Rapoport. They are the favorites to sign him in free agency, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Given the marketplace, this is unsurprising. The Jaguars have a veteran defense that in 2017 proved capable of elevating a team with a low-end quarterback to the Super Bowl precipice. The Redskins are unlikely to commit franchise-quarterback-level dollars to finding another passer, with Alex Smith on their 2019 books for more than $20MM, and the Dolphins have not given an indication they are looking to spend big here either. The Giants are, as expected, moving forward with Eli Manning — despite Pat Shurmur’s history with Foles.
This leaves the Jags in an interesting spot. And the fact that they may be a strong favorite likely impacted the team’s decision to avoid giving up a draft choice in a tag-and-trade scenario. Jacksonville’s standing on this front could also affect how much Foles can command as a free agent.
John DeFilippo is now the Jags’ OC, and the team has soured on Blake Bortles after a five-year run did not produce what the franchise hoped. It would be an upset if Foles did not end up in north Florida next season, though thanks to the ill-advised Bortles contract leading to a $16MM dead-money charge, the Jaguars making this quarterback switch will be costly.
Jaguars To Exercise Jalen Ramsey’s Fifth-Year Option
On the surface, the Jaguars making the decision to pick up Jalen Ramsey‘s fifth-year option is not surprising. They indeed plan to exercise the All-Pro cornerback’s 2020 option, Dave Caldwell said Wednesday (Twitter link).
However, with recent noise indicating an uncertain future for the standout defender in Jacksonville, it is somewhat notable. The Jags were connected to Ramsey trade talk as recently as December. The No. 5 overall pick in 2015, though, wants to stay in Jacksonville.
Ramsey is set to make $3.6MM in 2019; his salary will spike to eight-figure territory in 2020. The Jaguars are not in the best cap shape, at least compared to how they stood in recent offseasons, but Ramsey is arguably their best player. He has obviously been outspoken and received a team-imposed suspension last year. Though, he did not miss any regular-season games and has played all 48 regular-season contests since arriving in north Florida.
The former Florida State standout earned his second Pro Bowl nod this past season, intercepting three passes. In addition to Ramsey, the Jags have young defenders Myles Jack and Yannick Ngakoue in line for extensions. All three are now extension-eligible, their third seasons having concluded.
Jaguars, Marcell Dareus Restructure Deal
The Jaguars and defensive tackle Marcell Dareus agreed to a restructuring of his contract, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The new deal will allow Dareus to remain in Jacksonville for at least one more year. 
Initially, was set to make $8.335MM in base salary, but the new deal will call for a base of just $2.835MM. Instead, he’ll get a $5MM bonus up front with a revised deal that eliminates the 2021 season. The Jaguars will save $5MM against the cap and Dareus will be eligible for free agency after the 2020 season.
Dareus, 29 in March, came to the Jaguars in a midseason trade with the Bills in 2017. For a late draft pick, the Jaguars acquired Dareus and the remainder of his whopping six-year, $95.1MM contract.
Unfortunately, the former No. 3 overall pick hasn’t quite lived up to that contract. Dareus compiled ten sacks en route to a Pro Bowl nod and a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2014, but he has just 8.5 sacks over the last four seasons. Last year, Dareus had only one sack and a forced fumble, though he earned a solid 80.9 score from Pro Football Focus for his solid run defense.
Jaguars Cut Kai Forbath
No surprise here, but the Jaguars have released kicker Kai Forbath, according to a team announcement. The move was expected after the Jags re-upped Josh Lambo on a four-year, $15.5MM extension. 
[RELATED: Jaguars Re-Sign Lambo]
Forbath, was signed in December when Lambo went down with a groin injury. Over the course of a few games, Lambo connected on 4-of-5 field goal tries, including a long of 41 yards. His only miss came from 50+ yards in the team’s Week 17 loss to the Texans.
Forbath, 32 in September, spent part of 2016 and all of 2017 with the Vikings, but he was released in August of 2018 after losing the kicking competition to Daniel Carlson. Forbath connected on 88.7% of his field goal tries in Minnesota, but his 84.9% extra point conversion rate left much to be desired.
Jaguars To Hire Dom Capers
The Jaguars are set to hire Dom Capers as a senior defensive assistant, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Capers will provide support to defensive coordinator Todd Wash as they manage one of the league’s top young defenses. 
Capers, 68, served as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator in the 1999 and 2000 seasons. His most recent employment came with the Packers, but after Green Bay ended his nine-year tenure as their DC, he did not coach in 2018. The Dolphins and Bengals both chased Capers, but the Jaguars ultimately won out.
The Bengals would have made Capers their DC, but the coaching veteran opted for a lesser title in Jacksonville instead. At this stage of his career, Capers may actually prefer a less demanding job.
“Dom Capers is one of the most respected defensive coaches in the game today, and he has been for many years,” head coach Doug Marrone said in a press release. “His defenses have long been among the most effective and productive in the NFL. He has career experiences and accomplishments that will benefit our coaches and our players. He adds a unique perspective and veteran presence that will be valuable assets to immediately help us. I look forward to working with Dom and having him on our staff.”
Jaguars Decline ASJ’s Option
Nearly a month after Austin Seferian-Jenkins bid farewell to the Jaguars, the team announced the tight end’s Jacksonville stay will indeed be limited to one year.
The Jaguars declined the $4MM 2019 option on Seferian-Jenkins’ contract. He will become a free agent when the new league year opens March 13. This move will save the Jags $4.3MM. The Jags had until 11pm Monday to make these decisions.
One of Jacksonville’s high-priced defensive linemen will be staying, however. The Jags picked up Calais Campbell‘s $3MM 2019 option. Campbell is on the Jags’ books at $14.5MM this coming season.
ASJ signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Jaguars in 2018. He did not contribute much on a woeful offense, heading to IR after five games. After somewhat of a bounce-back season with the Jets, Seferian-Jenkins posted just 90 receiving yards last season. He will head to free agency without much momentum. The former second-round pick is still just 26, however, and should receive another opportunity on a light tight end market.
While Campbell will be part of the 2019 Jaguars, it is not certain two of his defensive line mates — Malik Jackson and Marcell Dareus — will join him. His playing time having diminished last season, Jackson said he expects to be released. A Dareus cut would save the Jags nearly $11MM, while jettisoning Jackson would bring exactly $11MM in savings for a Jags team that, even after the ASJ move, remains over the projected salary cap.
Jacksonville also exercised $750K options for defensive end Lerentee McCray and safety Cody Davis.
Jaguars Maintained Joe Flacco Interest
In agreeing to trade for Joe Flacco, the Broncos made an early move to attempt to upgrade at quarterback. As bad as things have gone at quarterback for the Broncos over the past three years, the Jaguars have experienced more trouble. The Jags were mentioned as a Flacco suitor earlier this offseason, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets the team continued to have interest until the Broncos pulled the trigger. However, Denver’s offer of a fourth-round pick was the best proposal Baltimore received, La Canfora adds. This was the Broncos’ fourth-round pick (No. 106), not the selection they acquired from the Texans in exchange for Demaryius Thomas (No. 118).
Jaguars, Josh Lambo Agree To Extension
The Jaguars signed Josh Lambo to a new four-year extension, according to a tweet from the kicker. Lambo was set for free agency in March, but the new deal could keep him in place through the 2022 season.
Lambo will receive $15.5MM over the four-year term, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who adds Lambo will collect $6.5MM in full guarantees. That $3.875M annual average will tie for seventh among kickers, while Lambo’s guarantees also rank seventh at the position.
Lambo has been one of the Jaguars’ most consistent players over the past two seasons, and that was especially true in 2018 as the team faltered on the whole. Since joining Jacksonville in October 2017, Lambo has nailed 38 of 41 field goal tries and has missed only three PATs. During that run, the fantasy hero made a franchise-record 24 straight FG attempts (Nov. 19, 2017 to Nov. 11, 2018).
Lambo missed some time down the stretch of the 2018 season with a groin injury, but the new deal is an indication that those worries are behind him. Still in his prime, he’ll look to keep things going as he enters his age-29 season