The Jaguars and cornerback Montaric Brown have struck a deal.
According to multiple reports, Brown has agreed to a new three-year contract with the team. The deal is worth $33 million for the 2022 seventh-round pick.
Brown was No. 80 on PFT’s list of this year’s top free agents.
Brown has started 23 games over the last two seasons, including last season’s playoff loss to the Bills, and he’s played in 53 games overall. He has 172 tackles, three interceptions and 24 passes defensed during his time in Jacksonville.
While the Jags will be holding onto Brown, Greg Newsome remains on track to become a free agent with the new league year starting on Wednesday.
Early March is a time for plenty of roster moves, as teams begin to reshape their rosters — often dramatically.
The Rams, who struck a deal this week to trade for cornerback Trent McDuffie, have placed veteran cornerback Darious Williams on the reserve/retired list.
The move likely has occurred in lieu of the Rams releasing Williams, 32, from the final year of his current contract, which would have made him a free agent. He’s instead choosing to end his playing career.
Undrafted out of UAB in 2018, Williams initially signed with the Ravens. He appeared in three games as a rookie with the Ravens before being released in October. The Rams claimed him on waivers.
By 2020, he became a constant contributor on defense, with 10 starts. He participated in 81 percent of the defensive snaps during 16 regular-season games.
After the 2021 season, he signed a three-year deal in free agency with the Jaguars. Released after 2023, he returned to the Rams, on a three-year, $22.5 million deal.
His retirement clears $7.5 million in cap space. He was due to receive a $500,000 roster bonus next weekend.
Williams, a member of the Super Bowl LVI championship team, appeared in 104 regular-season games with 69 starts. His 10 postseason starts included Super Bowl LVI and, most recently, the 2025 NFC Championship.
The Jaguars cleared some cap space ahead of next week’s start to free agency.
They have restructured the contracts of right guard Patrick Mekari and safety Eric Murray. Spotrac reports that the two moves have cleared more than $10 million off the cap in Jacksonville.
Mekari joined the Jaguars last year and started 14 games in his first season with the team. He came as a free agent after starting 53 games across the offensive line in Baltimore.
Murray is also heading into his second season with the Jags. The former Chief, Brown and Texan had 54 tackles, an interception, a sack and a forced fumble in 12 appearances.
The Jaguars will have tight end Quintin Morris back for the 2026 season.
Morris was set for free agency next week, but he has agreed to a new deal with the team. Reporter Jordan Schultz reports it is a one-year pact worth up to $3 million.
Morris signed with the Bills after going undrafted in 2021 and moved on to Jacksonville last year. He appeared in 14 games and had six catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. He had 15 catches for 146 yards and three scores while in Buffalo.
Brenton Strange, Johnny Mundt, and Hunter Long are the other tight ends on the roster for the Jaguars.
Teams making decisions about picking up the fifth-year options on the contracts of their 2023 first-round picks now know how much that will cost.
The NFL revealed the values on Friday afternoon. There are four levels of compensation at each position. Players who have made multiple Pro Bowls as an original selection are at the top followed by players with one Pro Bowl selection and players who have hit playing time milestones before reaching the lowest level.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud were the first two picks of that draft and both of them reached the playing time level of compensation. That will leave them with fully guaranteed salaries of $25.904 million if the teams decide to exercise the options, but longer-term extensions are also a possibility now that they have finished their third seasons.
The full list of 2023 first-rounders — there were 31 that year because the Dolphins were stripped of their pick — and their fifth-year option salaries appears below:
1. Panthers QB Bryce Young — $25.904 million (playing time).
2. Texans QB C.J. Stroud — $25.904 million (playing time).
3. Texans DE Will Anderson — $21.512 (Pro Bowl).
4. Colts QB Anthony Richardson — $22.483 million (base).
5. Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon — $21.161 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
6. Cardinals OT Paris Johnson — $19.072 million (playing time).
7. Raiders DE Tyree Wilson — $14.475 million (base).
8. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson — $11.323 million (Pro Bowl).
9. Eagles DT Jalen Carter — $27.127 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
10. Bears OT Darnell Wright — $19.072 million (playing time).
11. Titans OG Peter Skoronski — $19.072 million (playing time).
12. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs — $14.293 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
13. Packers DE Lukas Van Ness — $14.475 million (base).
14. Steelers OT Broderick Jones — $19.072 million (playing time).
15. Jets DE Will McDonald — $14.475 million (base).
16. Rams CB Emmanuel Forbes — $12.633 million (base).
17. Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez — $18.119 million (Pro Bowl).
18. Lions LB Jack Campbell — $21.925 million (Pro Bowl).
19. Buccaneers DT Calijah Kancey — $15.451 (playing time).
20. Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba — $23.852 million (Pro Bowl).
21. Chargers WR Quentin Johnston — $18 million (playing time).
22. Ravens WR Zay Flowers — $27.298 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
23. Vikings WR Jordan Addison — $18 million (playing time).
24. Giants CB Deonte Banks — $12.633 million (base).
25. Bills TE Dalton Kincaid — $8.162 million (base).
26. Jets DT Mazi Smith — $13.391 million (base) Smith was traded to the Jets by the Cowboys.
27. Jaguars OT Anton Harrison — $19.072 million (playing time).
28. Bengals DE Myles Murphy — $14.475 million (base).
29. Saints DT Bryan Bresee — $13.391 million (base).
30. Eagles LB Nolan Smith — $13.752 million (base).
31. Chiefs Felix Anudike-Uzomah — $14.475 million (base).
