JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — With free agency now in full swing and the first wave essentially over, it is time for teams to gear up for the next phase of free agency.
Part of that phase is identifying which still-available free agents make sense to retain. For a team like the Jacksonville Jaguars that has spent a key portion of their offseason on retaining free agents, this question becomes even more interesting.
Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone speaks during a press conference next to head coach Liam Coen at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
So with the Jaguars already retaining free agents like Montaric Brown, Dennis Gardeck, Quintin Morris and others, the Jaguars only have a few more players to consider returning. Even less so when you factor in the five free agents who have left the Jaguars in Travis Etienne, Devin Lloyd, Greg Newsome, Andrew Wingard, and Dyami Brown.
So of the few Jaguars free agents who are still available, do any make sense to bring back? We take a look at two options below.
WR Tim Patrick 
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Tim Patrick (17) hauls in a reception during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Colts 36-19. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Jaguars have a pretty clear pecking order at wide receiver entering the next stage of the offseason. The Jaguars have a strong starting trio in Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington, and you also can not forget about Travis Hunter even if he is set to still play mostly cornerback. With that said, the Jaguars have some depth questions behind that group after the first wave off free agency.
Former Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown was not expected to return at any point after his frustrating season in 2025, and he has now signed with the Washington Commanders on a much smaller deal than he signed with the Jaguars. That leaves Tim Patrick as the only other member of the 2025 receiver room who is still unsigned, and he makes a lot of sense to bring back on a cheap deal either now or after the draft. He knows the system, blocks well, and has some special teams value.
DL Dawuane Smoot
Jan 4, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Dawuane Smoot (98) runs out of the tunnel before the game against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
The Jaguars’ pass-rush needs to be better than it was last season, but so far the Jaguars have made no moves along the defensive front. They also have three impending free agents in the room in Dawuane Smoot, Emmanuel Ogbah and Austin Johnson, and Smoot appears to be the one who has the best case to return.
Perhaps Smoot makes the most sense as a post-draft addition if the Jaguars can not find the right fits in April’s draft, but perhaps he should be brought back even before then. He does not need to take on as big as a pass-rush role that he had last year, but he was a valuable and versatile run defender.