When Jaguars head coach Liam Coen told reporters upon being hired that Jacksonville’s offense would run through second-year wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., he meant it.
On Thursday, the Jags released tight end Evan Engram, set to count $19.485 million against the 2025 salary cap, the team’s second-highest number. Per Over The Cap, the move saves Jacksonville $5.985 million while adding $13.5 million in dead money.
The decision to release Engram came a day after the team announced it planned to release wide receiver Christian Kirk, whose $24.089 million 2025 cap number was Jacksonville’s highest. However, instead, the Jaguars agreed to send Kirk to the division-rival Texans for a 2026 seventh-round pick.
The transactions leave Jacksonville $16.4 million richer but thin at receiving options behind Thomas Jr., arguably the best wide receiver in a loaded 2024 draft class.
In his introductory news conference, Coen told reporters, “He’s so dynamic… Our pass game will run through him.”
Last season, Thomas had 87 receptions, 1,282 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns.
The Jaguars are clearing the decks under Coen and first-year general manager James Gladstone. According to OTC data, after the moves, they should have $54.4 million in cap space ahead of free agency.
Jacksonville, which went 4-13 in 2024, has several holes on its roster. The secondary was one of the league’s worst in 2024, allowing an NFL-high 4,375 passing yards.
Center Mitch Morse announced his retirement on Thursday, making the offensive line a greater area of need. Guard Brandon Scherff, who started all 51 regular-season games for Jacksonville the past three seasons, is also an unrestricted free agent.
Brenton Strange ended 2024 second on the team with 411 receiving yards, and he’s the only tight end who caught a pass last season still on the team’s roster, with backups Josiah Deguara and Luke Farrell set to hit free agency.
With so much uncertainty, the Jaguars must once again lean on Thomas as their primary offensive weapon. Last season, his 133 targets were over double Engram’s 64, the second-most on the team.
Coen and Gladstone’s job this offseason is to get more players like Thomas in the building who can lead Jacksonville back to the playoffs after a two-year drought. Until then, he’ll have the Jaguars offense on his back.