March 16, 2026, 3:24 p.m. ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t done much so far this offseason, with only one new addition to the roster so far in running back Chris Rodriguez. Otherwise, free agency has been fairly quiet, with Jacksonville mainly prioritizing retaining current talent.

Montaric Brown agreed to terms on a new contract with the Jaguars before free agency officially started, an unsurprising yet highly lauded move after his standout season in 2025.

Brown finished the season with two interceptions and nine pass breakups, held opponents to just 10.4 yards per catch, and allowed a completion rate of just 54% on 68 targets.

With Brown locked down, the Jags’ cornerback unit looks strong, with Brown alongside  Travis Hunter, Jourdan Lewis, and Jarrian Jones as the main contributors.

There are still other things that need to be addressed on defense, and general manager James Gladstone has acknowledged that. But step one was keeping Brown in Jacksonville, and in a recent press conference, he explained why that was his first priority.

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“When the [opportunity] presented itself again and he was available, he didn’t flinch,” Gladstone said of Brown. “And that carried through the course of the season and he made plays — plays on the ball, plays on ball carriers that really made an important dent on the outcome of a number of our games. And the marriage between the scheme, his skill set, it’s a match that all of us are constantly looking for at every position.”

Re-signing Brown doesn’t just bolster the existing Jaguars defense. It allows Jacksonville to have more flexibility if they choose to pursue anyone else in free agency, but most importantly, in the draft.

The Jags can now turn their attention to building up the pass rush, the only real weakness on the defense last year. If they’re successful, the Jaguars defense is going to be truly formidable in 2026.