Although all four of these Jaguars players are expected to be key participants in the upcoming campaign, their status after 2024 is unclear.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have effectively maintained the unity of their core. They already awarded outside linebacker Josh Allen a massive extension this year, and it might not be long until they ink top-tier quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Although it’s true that the front management hasn’t been able to retain everyone, difficult choices must be made each summer. It won’t be any different next year, and it’s possible that these four well-known athletes won’t be back.
Brandon Scherff may not return to the Jaguars in 2025
In 2022, the Jags acquired Brandon Scherff, a right guard, to help fortify the interior offensive line. Scherff, a 2015 first-round selection, was a five-time Pro Bowl player for the Washington Commanders.
It was anticipated that he would play at a high level in Jacksonville after agreeing to a three-year contract worth $49 million, but the outcomes have been uneven.
Despite not starting a full season since 2016, Scherff has managed to start 34 games in a row, but his play hasn’t been quite as dominant as it was in Washington. Even though he missed most of 2023 due to an ankle ailment and had trouble playing the year before due to an abdomen issue, he was still able to play a respectable amount of basketball.
Actually, on 710 pass-blocking snaps last year, the former Iowa Hawkeye surrendered just two sacks and fifteen total pressures. Considering that he has been a seasoned presence in the locker room, it is understandable why the team’s executives decided to retain him.
Instead of letting Scherff go and freeing up $9 million in cap space, they reworked his contract to guarantee his return. But even beyond 2024, his future isn’t assured.
Next season, Scherff will be 33, so the Jags could be better suited taking a different approach. Although it might be reasonable for them to hire a younger candidate for the role, he presumably won’t want top-market pay.
In the offseason, Cooper Hodges will probably play in a reserve capacity, but if he does well in 2024, he might be considered for a starting position the following season. The Jaguars can hunt for Scherff’s replacement in free agency or the draft if Hodges isn’t the solution.
