JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) are not getting much bang for their buck when it comes to their 2024 free agent class so far this season.
Five of six players they signed this offseason are either injured, not producing at a high level, or not producing at all.
While the Jaguars have seen good things from signing center Mitch Morse -- who has been a significant upgrade over Luke Fortner -- they have not seen the return on investment from the $75.5 million in fully guaranteed money they spent on receiver Gabe Davis, safety/nickel back Darnell Savage, cornerback Ronald Darby, returner Devin Duvernay and defensive lineman Arik Armstead.
"We have to look at those internally. I do believe that these guys are helping us," coach Doug Pederson said the morning after the Jaguars' 35-16 loss to the Chicago Bears at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. "We all need to do better. I'm not here to point the finger at anybody but myself really and just make sure that we're getting the most out of everyone. We're putting the best 11 on the field and we've got to look at that as a staff."
Against the Bears those key signees, for the most part, had forgetful games which has been a recurrence this season.
Davis caught his first two touchdown passes this season on Sunday -- but it was overshadowed by two other dropped TD passes that would have been touchdowns, including one on the Jaguars' first drive when the momentum was all Jacksonville. Savage had two tackles but no pass breakups. Darby had eight tackles but also committed two defensive holding penalties, including one that wiped out a third-down incompletion. Armstead registered one tackle, the same number as quarterback Trevor Lawrence and receiver Christian Kirk.
The best signing of the class has been Morse so far this season. His 96.2% pass block win rate is ninth among centers this season and his 66.7% run block win rate ranks 19th among centers, according to ESPN Analytics. In 2023, Fortner ranked 31st in pass block win rate (87.9%) and 23rd in run block win rate (67.2%).
The rest of the group hasn't fared as well through six games.
Darby, who signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract with $5.5 million fully guaranteed, has the fourth-worst completion percentage (76.5%) among cornerbacks with at least 100 coverage snaps when he's the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats. He has allowed 26 catches for 393 yards and three touchdowns. Only New Orleans' Paulson Adebo has allowed more passing yards as a cornerback as the nearest defender.
Darby has played the most snaps of any of the team's cornerbacks (200) in part because No. 1 corner Tyson Campbell has missed the last five games with a hamstring injury. The Jaguars opened Campbell's practice window to return from injured reserve last week and they're targeting a potential return this Sunday against New England. That would help in the corner rotation, Pederson said.
"That's a veteran player, a guy that we brought in here to give us some time, some valuable time there at corner," Pederson said. "He's still doing some good things. I think that he's been in a good position. He had opportunities, it just necessarily hasn't translated yet onto the field a couple of plays. But he's doing fine."
Armstead, who signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract with $28 million fully guaranteed, has eight QB pressures and a 5.8% pressure rate that ranks 52nd out of 56 edge defenders with at least 100 pass rushes, per NFL Next Gen Stats. He has one sack, which is the only time he has registered a QB hit this season. He was on the PUP list until mid-August while recovering from a knee injury he suffered last season and has played 47.6% of the defensive snaps.
Davis, who signed a three-year, $39 million contract with $24 million fully guaranteed, has dropped three potential touchdown passes (he had one against Buffalo bounce off his facemask). He has been dealing with a knee injury but hasn't missed a game. His 17 catches for 204 yards average to 12.0 yards per catch -- the lowest of his career (previous low was 15.7 in 2021 with the Bills).
Duvernay, who signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract with $5.5 million fully guaranteed, was placed on injured reserve last week with a hamstring injury. He made an impact in just one game: a 53-yard punt return that set up a touchdown in the Jaguars' lone victory against Indianapolis in Week 5. Prior to that he had gained 28 yards on six punt returns and averaged 20 yards on five kickoff returns.
Savage, who signed a three-year $21.75 million contract with $12.5 million fully guaranteed, missed three games with a quad injury and has five tackles and two pass breakups (which came in the season opener against Miami).
It's safe to say each of these players has room to improve if the Jaguars want a chance to salvage their 1-5 season -- starting with Sunday's game vs. the Patriots (9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network) at Wembley Stadium in London.
"It's something that we've got to just continue to work," Pederson said of the free agents' production. "Continue to just keep showing everybody the good and the bad and make the necessary corrections."