Yesterday, May 7th, the Jacksonville Jaguars cut WR Gabe Davis after one season. The team has designated him a post June 1st cut, after signing a 3-year $39 million contract last offseason. Gabe was unable to remain healthy throughout the season and finished the 2024-25 season with 10 games played. His lone season totals were 20 catches for 239 yards and 0 touchdowns.
Contracts Do Not Determine Starters
Jacksonville is no longer a buy your best players type of team anymore under this new regime. This is a group that is literally flipping the roster and culture on top of its head and hitting reset. The Jaguars are the only team this offseason to not resign a single free agent of their own.
And that displays Gladstone’s view on 24-25’s roster and their holes. How much money you make does not determine playing time, or if you even make the ROSTER.
Philosophy Change
Free agents are now floor raisers who have proven themselves in the league but may have another level to reach. And draft picks are the catalyst for roster building (as it should’ve always been). The Jaguars walked into the draft with the most available roster spots to reach the target of 90.
They landed 9 draft selections, 22 undrafted free agents, and added one more pro free agent in Emmanuel Ogbah. Another floor raiser in Jacksonville to note. That is after making a calculated approach to land all 10 of their early Pro Free Agent signings, which raised the floor of the roster.
Tone Setters
This staff wants nothing more than to be bold and uphold the football side, and the entertainment value. Take no further look than the Travis Hunter trade up and press conference.
James Gladstone has stated his motto for this team will be “if there is an opportunity to be bold, we won’t flinch”. Gladstone has yet to flinch. He, alongside HC Coen and EVP Boselli (former number two overall selection) are setting a tone of who they want in this ecosystem and the standard of player and personality they will invite.
Roster Impact
Gabe Davis was on the trajectory of the being the fifth wide receiver in the Jaguars room. Now he’ll be looking for a new home. With what we believe to be a lock on the top four wide receiver spots in Brian Thomas Jr, Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown, and Parker Washington.
You wonder how many more wide outs they’ll keep on the 53 and who would fill those one or two spots if they keep 5 or 6 respectively. From what I’ve heard around the league, 2025 UDFA’s will have first crack alongside 2024 UDFA Joshua Cephus before any outside solutions are found. Darrius Lassiter out of BYU, and Eli Pancol out of Duke University are two guys I think could take those roster spots.
Contract Breakdown
Davis had 2 years and 25 million left on the books with a fully guaranteed 11 million in 2025. This move now leads to the dead cap hits of 5.7 million in 2025, and 14.6 million in 2026.
The 11 million owed to him will be offset by any free agent contract he were to sign this offseason, which could be considered severance pay. So for instance, if Gabe signs to a contender for say a prove-it 1 year $8 million dollar contract, the Jaguars are entitled to give him $3 million in addition to his new team’s salary.
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