Entering the 2026 offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars were in a tricky financial situation, sitting at $16 million over the cap. After multiple restructures, making three total signings in free agency, and signing all their draft picks, they now have $9 million in cap space.
In 2027, however, they will be $10.9 million over the cap, with looming contract decisions in Anton Harrison, Brenton Strange, Antonio Johnson, and Parker Washington. How they manage this limited cap flexibility will impact the team’s short and long-term future.
Examining the Jaguars ‘ Cap Situation
Cap casualties
Every offseason, there are players that don’t perform to the level of their salary, making it difficult to justify keeping them on the roster and affecting the team’s cap. A few players could potentially fall into this category in the 2026 offseason.
Foyesade Oluokon
Foyesade Oluokon has been everything the Jaguars could have hoped for when they first signed him back in 2022. His veteran presence has brought stability to the Jaguars linebacker group for the last four years, but after 2025, he will be entering his 10th season and will turn 32. While he is far from a bad linebacker, he has never been selected to the Pro Bowl and will soon be on the decline.
Oluokon will count $15.8 million against the cap in 2027, but the Jaguars would save $8.4 million by cutting the veteran linebacker. This would free up cap space while allowing the Jaguars to get younger at the position.
Walker Little
Walker Little has had his ups and downs in his time in Jacksonville. He showed some promise in his first few seasons, but after receiving a long-term contract extension in 2024, he has been one of the worst left tackles in the NFL. After Cole Van Lanen signed an extension during the 2025 season, it became clear Little’s time in Jacksonville was coming to an end.
In 2027, Little will count $15.5 million against the cap. The Jaguars would save $10.8 million by cutting a player that has been relegated to a backup role while also getting a younger player with more potential upside.
Patrick Mekari
While he has provided some short-term stability at right guard, Patrick Mekari was graded as one of the worst right guards in the NFL in 2025 and will turn 30 just before the 2027 NFL season. The selection of offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon is a sign that the Jaguars want to head in a different direction at the guard position.
Mekari will be set to count $18.1 million against the cap in 2027, and the Jaguars will save $13 million by cutting another player that would likely be in a backup role. This would make the Jaguars much younger and cheaper while having a potential Pro Bowl-caliber player at the position moving forward.
Managing the remaining money
These transactions would save the Jaguars $32.2 million in cap space, putting them $22 million under the cap. While this is a nice start, there are other moves to be made. Trevor Lawrence and Josh Hines-Allen are set to count for a combined $75.1 million against the cap in 2027. While the Jaguars obviously are not cutting their two franchise cornerstones, this is a difficult amount of money to work with, and the Jaguars will have to restructure their contracts to free up more space.
While Jakobi Meyers and Cole Van Lanen are short-term cornerstones of the team, they too will need restructures to free up more space. The pair is set to combine for $41.4 million in 2027.
As mentioned before, they have contract upcoming extensions involving Brenton Strange, Anton Harrison, Antonio Johnson, and Parker Washington. While some of these players could be signed as early as this offseason to get ahead of the market, not all four players will receive long-term extensions from the team.
The positional value will likely be the biggest determining factor in who receives a long-term extension. The Jaguars were willing to let Devin Lloyd and Travis Etienne leave in free agency due to limited space and both players playing a replaceable position. This would mean Anton Harrison and Parker Washington receive long-term extensions while Antonio Johnson and Brenton Strange head elsewhere in free agency.
The question is when the Jaguars sign them. Parker Washington will be an unrestricted free agent in 2027, so signing him to a long-term deal before the 2026 season would be optimal to prevent him from becoming too expensive should he have a great season. With Anton Harrison’s fifth-year option being picked up, he is under contract for two more seasons, giving the Jaguars ample time to make a decision on his future.
There will be a lot of pressure on the Jaguars in 2026 given their limited financial flexibility. A disappointing season will only increase the difficulty in maneuvering the cap and deciding who to keep long term, but a deep playoff run could remove any doubts and allow the Jaguars to build with an all-in mentality.
Main Image: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
