In 2024, will Josh Allen still be a member of the Jaguars?
Jackson, Tennessee Josh Allen, a linebacker with the Jaguars, has made it plain that he wishes to remain in Jacksonville during the last few months. Allen wants to stay involved in helping the team that selected him with the seventh overall pick in 2019 transform from a losing squad into a regular contender.
“My style is legacy,” Allen declared. “I have a fantastic opportunity to continue leaving a legacy here, and I will do all in my power to uphold that.
“I play the game because I love it, that’s all.” Not everyone engages in the game. They make decisions, and once they are made, they cannot be changed. I thus let God be God and let things work out.
I exerted all of my effort. I completed what I could, and my agent would take care of the rest.
Allen is seen as one of the top upcoming free agents this summer following a great season in which he broke the Jaguars’ franchise record for sacks in a single season (17.5). What is the significance of the Jaguars getting him back? Does it matter whether they do it through an extension or franchise tag?
All NFL executives discuss the value of developing through the draft. The Jaguars’ 2017 run to the AFC Championship Game was fueled by their reliance on free agency when building their team, but this approach isn’t sustainable. The NFL relies on player development and selection to achieve consistent success.
That’s how reputable franchises run. These clubs have a core group of players that they cultivated through the draft, including important players who are in their second or third seasons. Young draft picks such as Trent McDuffie, Isiah Pacheco, and Creed Humphrey have added to Kansas City’s nucleus of Chris Jones, Travis Kelce, and Patrick Mahomes.
The Jaguars, though? They only had four drafted players on their second contract in 2023: punter Logan Cooke, defensive end Dawuane Smoot, offensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, and offensive tackle Cam Robinson.
That speaks volumes about the team’s difficulties in the draft, particularly in the first round from 2008 to 2020. Only quarterback Blake Bortles (2014) and defensive tackle Tyson Alualu (2010) signed extensions out of the 14 first-round draft selections made during that time. Before their rookie contracts expired or they were not re-signed, the remaining players were either traded, cut, or suspended.
Given that 12 of the 14 players were selected in the top 10, with six of them selected in the top five, it is easy to understand why the Jaguars have only had three successful seasons and two
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