The Jacksonville Jaguars are just 1-9 this year, ensuring a fourth consecutive losing season. That's a tough slog for any fan base. Fortunately, rookie quarterback Blake Bortles has shown promising flashes that has the franchise seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. In an effort to improve the talent around their shiny No. 3 overall pick and aid his development, the Jags are prepared to be big spenders once free agency rolls around.
"We were active this year - look at our defensive line, which is pretty good, and they're mostly free agents," owner Shad Khan said to Jacksonville.com. "We're going to be very active for a number of reasons. Other teams don't have the luxury we have - they have constraints and can't sign everyone. We'll be on the flip side."
The flip side is the abundance of cap space Jacksonville will have this off-season.
"The NFLPA lists $29.6 million as the Jaguars' current salary cap space, a figure that could double with rollover (unused) dollars, an increase in the cap and cleared space from veterans who will be released or not re-signed," wrote Ryan O'Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
Some of the top free agents set to hit the open market after this season include Dez Bryant, Julius Thomas, Jason Pierre-Paul, Ndamukong Suh, Demaryius Thomas and Randall Cobb. Although it is likely that a handful of notable free agents will sign extensions with their current teams, there should still be enough enticing talent to lure some money out of Khan's pockets this summer.
The Jaguars rank in the bottom half for many of the major categories. They are 25th in passing yards per game (217), 21st in rushing (98.1), 26th in opposing passing yards (261.9) and 25th in opposing rushing yards (126.2). The team is, however, tied for third in the NFL in sacks with 28.
