FILE - Buffalo Bills center Mitch Morse (60) looks on during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Dec. 23, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. The Bills' salary cap-related purge of players cut deep into the team's core with veteran safety Jordan Poyer and center Morse being among five players the team announced it released Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)
Published on March 11, 2024 at 1:13 pm
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Ferris Bueller wasn’t talking about NFL free agency, but he could have been.
As of the writing of this piece, just hours after the start of the “legal tampering” period of NFL free agency, the Jaguars had added five players: center (Mitch Morse, formerly of the Buffalo Bills on a reported two-year, $10.5 million deal); a wide receiver (Gabe Davis, Bills, three years, $39 million); a kick returner (Devin Duvernay, Baltimore Ravens, two years, $8.5 million); a cornerback (Ronald Darby, Ravens, 2 years, $10 million); and a safety (Darnell Savage, Green Bay three years, $21 million). They also agreed to terms with kicker Will Lutz, who then changed his mind and opted to stay in Denver.
There could be more moves to come, but what we saw in the opening hours of free agency was a team creating competition at some positions they clearly deemed as deficient last year.
At center, Morse will compete with third-year man Luke Fortner, who has been the starter since being drafted in the third round in 2022. This was not a signing to replace a departed player but one intended to make Fortner expendable if he doesn’t improve this offseason.
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The move with Davis isn’t a huge money deal but appears to be the kind of deal that would lessen the blow of Calvin Ridley leaving. Ridley was, as of this writing, exploring his options in free agency, although the Jaguars are believed to be interested in Ridley returning. Like the trade for former Bolles quarterback Mac Jones, Davis’s acquisition is a bit of a homecoming. He was born in Fernandina Beach. Davis’ specialty has been the deep ball. He averages nearly 17 yards per reception in his four years in Buffalo playing with strong-armed quarterback Josh Allen.
Duvernay is also the kind of player who creates competition. His signing likely signals the end of Jamal Agnew’s time in Jacksonville. Duvernay will likely compete with Parker Washington, a 2023 draft pick, for the kick return duties and will add depth at the wide receiver position.
Creating competition was one of the key mantras discussed by General Manager Trent Baalke when he spoke to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month.
Likewise, Savage, a former first-round pick, will push second-year man Antonio Johnson. Both will have the chance to replace the released Rayshawn Jenkins.
Darby makes Jacksonville his sixth NFL team. He provides an option at corner after the Jaguars said goodbye to Darious Williams last week.
What is interesting about these moves is that none of the players the Jaguars signed were premium players. And only Darby plays a position the Jaguars needed to fill. Even there, he won’t have the starting job simply handed to him.
The Jaguars still have needs. At least they did when this was posted. I’ll check with Principal Ed Rooney to see if they still do.
Lead image: Buffalo Bills center Mitch Morse (60) during a game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Dec. 23, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. | AP Photo/Kyusung Gong
