2024 NFL free agency grades: How analysts think the Jaguars fared

Was free agency a Trent Baalke masterclass? Or did the GM get schooled?

What a past couple of days it has been for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

After parting ways with a few old faces, the team went on a tear during the start of free agency, adding players as recently as Monday afternoon.

Across the NFL landscape, the reviews have been mixed about what the Jaguars did and didn’t do, with many of the team’s signings not pushing the needle terribly far in the eyes of league writers.

ESPN likes the offensive signings

The worldwide leader graded every move across the NFL and gave one of the Jags’ biggest signings a surprisingly middling score.

Adding defensive tackle Arik Armstead for three years, $51 million earned a C+ from the staff. Armstead tearing his meniscus last year is enough to give pause to writer Matt Miller.

If Armstead can stay healthy, the deal is a good value despite his age — he turns 31 in November. The risk comes with Armstead’s injury history, though finding impact pass-rushers at defensive tackle is what every team covets. With the draft light on defensive tackles with a Round 1 grade, locking up Armstead now is a win for the Jaguars as long as his prior injury history doesn’t follow him to a new team.

ESPN staff gave a B- for the high-upside wide receiver signing in Gabe Davis. This likely would have earned a higher grade if the team retained Calvin Ridley and kept Davis as a No. 2.

One of the team’s first big splash signings was snagging center Mitch Morse from Buffalo. This pickup was seemingly a no-brainer for the Jags, who earned a B+ for the move. The Jags trading for quarterback Mac Jones also earned the team a B+.

For re-signings, Ezra Cleveland’s new deal earned a B- grade. The three-year, $28.5 million deal has $14,5 million guaranteed, but does help clean up an offensive line that struggled mightily last year.

The Athletic bullish on Davis, Darby

Former NFL general manager Randy Mueller was overall underwhelmed by the Jaguars’ signings, especially Davis. He agrees mostly with ESPN, thinking the Jags needed to retain Ridley to make this move make the most sense.

This may not be the wide receiver news the Jaguars and their fans most desperately wanted… But in Davis, the Jaguars get a solid No. 2 option on a three-year, $39 million deal.

As for Morse, this move earned the team an A. Protecting Trevor Lawrence is the team’s biggest priority, and Morse gives the team an excellent chance to do so.

Adding corner Ronald Darby was a so-so move in Muller’s eyes, as he gave the team a C. While Darby does fill a clear positional need, his injury history concerned the writer. Adding safety Darnell Savage also earned a C grade.

Pro Football Focus grades AFC, gives Jags C+

Much like how the Athletic graded the team, PFF saw the Jags’ moves as largely fine. The team earned a C+ grade for not retaining Ridley and having Davis as the de facto No. 1 option on offense.

Davis had games where he took over, most memorably the playoff game where he went for 200 receiving yards with four touchdowns, but the week-to-week consistency in a pass-happy, high-octane Josh Allen offense was never there.

Across the AFC South, the Houston Texans were awarded an A grade. The Tennessee Titans earned a B, and also Ridley, while the Indianapolis Colts scored a B-.

CBS high on Jags’ strategy

CBS’ Garrett Podell liked what the Jags did in free agency, grading the team with a B+. Adding Savage to replace Rayshawn Jenkins and signing Morse to protect Lawrence were major pluses. Not extending linebacker Josh Allen ended up bringing the grade shy of A territory.

Jacksonville did what they could given a limited amount of cap space this offseason. They could earn a higher grade, though, if they extend Josh Allen, who set the team’s single-season sacks record (17.5 in 2023), and not have him play out next season on the tag. The addition of Armstead makes the pass rush more formidable.

Jags score well with Pro Football Network

The consensus for the Jags in free agency was about an overall B effort. PFN said exactly that.

PFN agrees that reworking the Allen deal before the season would have been the best strategy, allowing the team to extend Ridley. However, the team did what it could without extending Allen (yet) and still managed to hit on some solid players.

Jacksonville’s roster-building strategies often seem so meandering that it’s challenging to understand what direction the front office feels it’s taking the club. This iteration of the Jaguars can compete in the AFC South — but what’s the long-term vision?

Jaguars fans, tell us your grade for Jacksonville’s first wave of free agency in our Poll of the Week!