“We looked at the group of players primed to hit unrestricted free agency — because of either expiring contracts or deals in line to void — and ranked the top 50 who might end up available, starting with two defensive stars,” ESPN’s Matt Bowen said.
“Factors in building the list include age, positional value, expected future production, and scheme versatility. And remember, this ranking could change a good deal before we reach free agency, with teams extending their stars or applying the franchise tag. Don’t worry, though — we will have an updated top 100 in March.
So, which Jaguars cracked ESPN’s top 50 list and shows the Jaguars have some serious talent on expiring contracts? We break it down below.
Josh Allen
Ranking: 2
It is no surprise, but Josh Allen was named the best edge rusher in front of players like Brian Burns, Danielle Hunter, Chase Young, Bryce Huff, Jonathan Greenard, Jadeveon Clowney, Josh Uche, and Za’Darius Smith. The only player in front of Allen at all is Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro defensive lineman Chris Jones.
“Allen’s 17.5 sacks tied for second in the NFL this season, but he also had 66 tackles, 51 pressures and 2 forced fumbles. He’s a versatile, 6-foot-5 edge defender who can rush the passer, defend the run or even drop into coverage. Allen fits as a base 3-4 outside linebacker, with the ability to rush in multiple sub-fronts because of his frame and closing speed,” ESPN said.
Still, there is no indication that Allen will ever actually be a free agent. Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said as much last week.
“I’m not going to commit to anything right now relative to the franchise tag. But at the same token, Josh Allen is going to be a Jaguar next year,” Baalke said.
In 17 games this year, Allen recorded 17.5 sacks, a career-high 33 quarterback hits, a career-high 17 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and an interception. Allen also finished No. 5 among all EDGE players in pressures and No. 7 in win-rate.
Calvin Ridley
Ranking: 23
The only other Jaguar on this list is wide receiver Calvin Ridley. The receivers listed ahead of Ridley are Tee Higgins, Mike Evans, and Michael Pittman Jr., while Ridley ranks ahead of Marquise Brown.
“As a sudden-mover in the route tree, Ridley can create second-level separation and test defenses vertically; he had 17 receptions of 20 or more yards this season. He gets out of his breaks with speed. Overall, Ridley caught 76 passes in Jacksonville this season, finishing with 1,016 receiving yards and eight touchdowns,” ESPN said.
Ridley recorded the second 1,000-yard season in his career in 2023, catching 76 passes for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. He also made it through the entire season healthy, starting all 17 games after serving a season-long suspension in 2022.
“Calvin did some awfully good things. I love Calvin Ridley. He’s all ball. You guys and gals that were able to see it at practice, he loves to practice, he loves to play, he loves the game,” Baalke said.
“When you bring somebody in that hasn’t been a part of football for over a year and a half, you’ve got to knock the rust off. He did that and at times, he showed exactly who he was, who he can be. The sky is the limit, he’s only going to get better because of the way he works. When you love something as much as he loves football, you can’t help but get better. We would love to have Calvin back and we’re going to work toward that. What that means, I don’t know right now.”
