In a while later the season ended, Trent Baalke showed Josh Allen would be a Jaguar in 2024. The third-year GM will assemble the anticipated travel to assure that occurs.
The Jags are franchise-tagging their top pass rusher, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Making some adjustments on protection to develop cap territory, the Jags won’t let Allen break out. The freed-up price range, alternatively, will probably be important because of the $24M approaching a linebacker tag this 12 months.
One in every of this 12 months’s best tags to expect, Allen is coming off a monster pledge marketing campaign. The previous top-10 pick out destitute via at a just right while for his incomes energy, environment a Jaguars single-season document with 17.5 sacks utmost 12 months. With Travon Walker secured to a rookie pledge, the Jags will cuff Allen with presumptive hopes of understanding an extension with him via the July 15 time limit.
The Jags have worn their tag in every 2020 offseason. They cuffed Yannick Ngakoue in 2020, saved Cam Robinson off the 2021 and ’22 markets and upcoming slapped the tag on Evan Engramutmost 12 months. The group reached extension guarantees with Robinson and Engram however traded Ngakoue quickly later tagging him. Allen and Ngakoue most effective performed in combination for one season. Since upcoming, the Jags have seemed to the Kentucky alum as their premier edge rusher.
Allen’s occupation arc may level the Jags to creating him turn out his 2023 was once now not a fluke, however the group has alternative priorities. Trevor Lawrence extension talks have begun, and Baalke has stated on a couple of events this offseason a Calvin Ridley re-up is a purpose. Ridley’s condition is extra sophisticated because of the phrases of the 2022 business with the Falcons, however the Jags extending Allen would aid on all fronts because of the $24M cap stock on their payroll so long as he’s tagged. The Jags cut Folorunso Fatukasi, Rayshawn Jenkins and Darious Williams over the while two daysdeveloping important cap room for his or her Allen travel.
The Jags would owe the Falcons a second-round pick out in the event that they reached an guarantee with the free-agent-to-be sooner than the 2024 league 12 months. In the event that they wait till Ridley hits the marketplace to re-sign him, they’re going to ship Atlanta their 2024 third-rounder. The Jags already despatched a 2023 5th as a part of the change, and life Baalke stated the pick is not a major factor hereit will amaze if the Jags re-upped Ridley early. That stated, Mike Evans and Tee Higgins being off the marketplace and the Colts more likely to tag Michael Pittman Jr. sooner than the three p.m. CT time limit would get up to power up Ridley’s value. Regardless of his inconsistent while, WR-needy groups will view Ridley as a main choice.
As for Allen, he has stated he wants to stay in Jacksonville — however now not on a place of birth bargain. Business pastime got here in for the veteran cross rusher on the 2022 time limit, however the group stood pat. Later now not recording greater than 8 sacks in a season from 2020-22, Allen erupted in 2023 — a season that still incorporated 33 QB hits. Allen, 26, is in sequence for a big-ticket extension. The Jags handed on giving one to Ngakoue, however they pitch way more desperate to praise Allen.