Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars surprisingly cut running back Leonard Fournette on Monday.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the Jaguars had tried to trade him for months to no avail.

After his release, Fournette issued a thank you to Jaguars fans for his time in Jacksonville:

The 25-year-old was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft and impressed in his rookie campaign, rushing for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games. It appeared the Jaguars had found their offensive centerpiece for the next decade, leaning on him and a stout defense on the way to a postseason berth. 

The Jaguars had the New England Patriots on the ropes in the AFC Championship Game in the 2017 season, though they couldn't finish the job. From there, things fell apart.

The Jags went just 5-11 in 2018, and Fournette appeared in only eight games, rushing for 439 yards and five touchdowns. While injuries were an issue, he was also suspended for the team's Dec. 2 game against the Indianapolis Colts after getting into a fight against the Buffalo Bills the previous week.

He earned the ire of then-executive vice president Tom Coughlin in Week 17.

Fournette didn't play in the game but didn't seem particularly interested in being on the sidelines, and the Jaguars official ripped both him and fellow running back T.J. Yeldon for their body language and disinterest.

"I am disappointed in the behavior today from T.J. Yeldon and Leonard Fournette," Coughlin told reporters. "They were disrespectful, selfish and their behavior was unbecoming that of a professional football player."

The LSU product's weight and conditioning were also reportedly an issue during the 2018 campaign, according to ESPN's Michael DiRocco: "There was mounting frustration inside the organization about the length of Fournette's rehab from the hamstring injury, and that time away apparently impacted his conditioning."

That December, Fournette also threatened a Tennessee Titans fan, though he later said the heckler taunted him with racial slurs.

Nonetheless, the transgressions passed the boiling point for the Jaguars, and the team voided the guarantees in his contract, claiming his suspension rendered them null. That set up a fight between Fournette, the NFLPA and the Jaguars, and it appeared the player didn't have a future in Jacksonville.

But Fournette had a solid year for the Jaguars in 2019 despite those past issues with the team, rushing for 1,152 yards and three scores. He also caught a career-high 76 passes for 522 yards, appearing in 15 games.

Fournette was a star at LSU and showed flashes of excellence in his rookie season and the 2019 campaign. It's hard to imagine he won't be one of the more sought-after free agents on the market following his release.

The Jacksonville Jaguars continued their rebuild by trading pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue on Sunday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, and in turn they have a lot of draft capital to add talent in 2021 and beyond.

The team now has four picks in the first two rounds, thanks in part to the trade sending Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams in October 2019.

Updated 2021 Draft Picks

Round 1: Jaguars, Rams

Round 2: Jaguars, Vikings

Round 3: Jaguars

Round 4: Jaguars, Rams

Round 5: Jaguars

Round 6: Jaguars

Round 7: Jaguars

*Jacksonville also received a conditional 2022 fifth-round pick from the Vikings, which could be as high as a third if the Vikings win the Super Bowl and Ngakoue earns a Pro Bowl selection.

The team had 12 draft picks in 2020 thanks to trades involving Ramsey, Calais Campbell, Nick Foles, A.J. Bouye and more. With two first-round picks, Jacksonville selected cornerback C.J. Henderson and pass-rusher K'Lavon Chaisson, potentially replacing Ramsey and Ngakoue.

The team had also already invested heavily defensively, with prior first-round picks used on Taven Bryan (2018) and Josh Allen (2019).

Jacksonville has only one playoff appearance in the last 12 years, but the squad reached the AFC Championship Game in 2017 and appeared ready to build on that success with a talented young core. However, two years of losing seasons have seen a dramatic change, with many of the key players already gone.

Gardner Minshew, a 2019 sixth-round pick, will head into 2020 as the starter at QB following inconsistent performances from Foles and Blake Bortles over the past couple of years.

The franchise will look to build a new core through the draft and will have a number of opportunities to do it.

The Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly keeping an eye on Yannick Ngakoue in their ongoing search for a pass-rusher.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Raiders had trade talks with the Jacksonville Jaguars before the 2020 NFL draft and have continued to "monitor this situation."

Rapoport noted that any trade for Ngakoue would be "very, very complicated" because of the salary-cap implications and the assets Jacksonville would want in return.

The Jaguars gave Ngakoue the franchise tag in March, and the value for defensive ends this season is set at $17.8 million.

The deadline for tagged players to sign long-term extensions passed July 15, so Ngakoue will play in 2020 on the one-year deal. He hasn't yet signed the tender, and ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported July 1 the 25-year-old desired a trade and didn't have "immediate plans to sign the tag."

Per Over the Cap, 15 teams have enough cap space to accommodate Ngakoue's 2020 salary. The Raiders aren't included on that list; their $4.3 million in available money ranks 30th in the NFL, ahead of only the Los Angeles Rams ($2.6 million) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($2.4 million).

As far as Jacksonville's asking price, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported July 15 that the Jaguars have received multiple offers for Ngakoue, including one involving a Pro Bowl player "who didn't fit their system," but no deals have materialized.

Ngakoue made the Pro Bowl in 2017 when he recorded a career-high 12 sacks and led the NFL with six forced fumbles. The Maryland alum has 37.5 sacks in 63 career games with the Jaguars.

The Raiders tied for 24th in the league last season with 32 sacks.

Jacksonville Jaguars star Leonard Fournette has a rather expensive way of keeping himself grounded. 

The running back was seen practicing with a $100 bill on his pads Thursday, and rather than using it as a challenge for defenders to try to catch him, Fournette instead used it to motivate himself. 

Wearing the C-note reminds the former LSU star of his quest to rush for 100 yards per game as well as remaining his true self to everyone he knows. 

Fournette rushed for more than 100 yards in just three games in 2019, with none of the performances coming after Week 7. He's looking for a bounce-back campaign and using money as his ultimate motivation. If it works, get ready to see a bunch of Jaguars walking around practice with cash taped to their pads.

The tailback is finishing up a four-year, $27.15 million deal with Jacksonville, and that kind of money has allowed him to experiment with his training tactics.

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager David Caldwell has shot down rumors about a pending trade involving Yannick Ngakoue. 

Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio with Alex Marvez and Charles Davis, Caldwell called reports that a deal is imminent "erroneous" and the team is working with Ngakoue's camp to find a resolution to their situation:

There have been conflicting reports about a potential trade involving Ngakoue.

The Athletic's Michael Lombardi reported Wednesday that Jacksonville is "extremely close" to trading Ngakou, with a "firm offer in place" from an unnamed team. 

Lombardi added the New York Jets were "deeply involved" in talks with the Jaguars. 

However, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported "no trade is imminent or close" and "several of the teams that are reported to be involved, including the Jets, are not actually involved."

The Jaguars placed the one-year franchise tender worth $17.8 million on Ngakoue in March. He has yet to sign the deal and said on ESPN's NFL Live in April it is "time to move on" and he hopes to join a team with a "great culture."

Ngakoue, 25, was a Pro Bowl selection in 2017. He has recorded 85 quarterback hits and 37.5 sacks in 63 career games since 2016.

The Jacksonville Jaguars might be making progress toward granting Yannick Ngakoue's wish.

The Athletic's Michael Lombardi reported Wednesday the Jaguars are "extremely close" to trading the 2017 Pro Bowler within the next few days. Lombardi appeared to indicate a second-round pick might be heading Jacksonville's way.

The team placed the franchise tag on Ngakoue in March, a little more than a week after he said he didn't want to sign a long-term extension.

Spotrac's Michael Ginnitti provided some more context on the situation:

Ngakoue finished with 39 total tackles, eight sacks and one interception in 15 games last season.

The July 15 deadline to sign him to a multiyear extension has passed, so he can't hammer out the terms on a new deal until after the 2020 season ends.

As a result, Jacksonville may have to settle for a lesser return than it might have received before the deadline. The same thing happened with the Houston Texans when they dealt Jadeveon Clowney around this time last year.

In March, Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson questioned whether Ngakoue represented a solid investment:

"Ngakoue's problem is twofold: Firstly, the season that showed his elite potential as a pass-rusher was 2017, and he hasn't really come close to those heights since. That year, he had an 88.2 PFF pass-rushing grade and notched 82 total pressures including the playoffs. Since then, he hasn't been within 10 grading points of that high mark and has registered pressure at a much lower rate. Secondly, Ngakoue wants no part of defending the run. Admittedly, that has never been less relevant, but at some point it's bad enough that it is an issue, and Ngakoue has never had a PFF grade north of 60.0 against the run, with his first season in the league earning one of just 29.5."

The Jaguars at least have a strong incentive to move the 25-year-old since he has made it clear he wants out.

As Lombardi alluded to, Jacksonville is likely going to finish near the bottom of the league.

The franchise has steadily dissembled what was once one of the NFL's best defenses. It ranked 29th in Football Outsiders' DVOA last year. 

On offense, Gardner Minshew II is the clear starting quarterback after Nick Foles was traded to the Chicago Bears. This year is basically an audition for Minshew to see whether he can be the long-term solution.

Flipping Ngakoue for a valuable draft pick or two aligns with Jacksonville's priorities in the short term.

Gardner Minshew II's unique personality made him a fan favorite on social media last season, but at least one NFL coach believes the Jacksonville Jaguars made the right decision to stick with him as their starting quarterback in 2020. 

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, an anonymous assistant coach said he would take Minshew over Cam Newton and Andy Dalton. 

"If you asked me whether I preferred to play Cam, Andy Dalton or Gardner, I'd say Gardner," the coach said. "He's younger, he can make plays when things aren't perfect and he's accurate."

The Jaguars were rumored to have some interest in Dalton early in the offseason. 

ESPN's Jeff Darlington reported on May 1, one day after Dalton was released by the Cincinnati Bengals, that Jacksonville was "absolutely interested" in signing the nine-year veteran. 

Darlington did note the Jaguars likely would have stuck with Minshew as their starter and Dalton being the backup if a deal happened. 

Dalton wound up signing a one-year, $7 million deal with the Dallas Cowboys on May 2 to serve as Dak Prescott's backup. 

It's unclear how much interest the Jaguars ever had in Newton, with the exception of running back Leonard Fournette talking about it on ESPN's First Take (h/t NFL.com's Nick Shook) in April. 

"I've been knowing Cam for a minute now," Fournette said. "Like I told some people that talked to me, I told them it's no disrespect to [Gardner] Minshew. I'm just trying to get in the best position as a team so that we can win. That's all that was about, just a friendly competition, because, you know, that brings out the best in people."

Newton signed a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the New England Patriots on July 8. 

Minshew showed plenty of promise in 14 games during his rookie season in 2019. The Washington State alum completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions. 

Jacksonville went 6-6 in Minshew's 12 starts, compared to 0-4 in games started by Nick Foles. 

On Sunday, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Rodney Gunter announced he is retiring from the NFL because of a heart condition:

"These last three weeks have been a hard pill to swallow," he wrote. "Seeing my dreams vanish right in front of me has been extremely difficult."

Gunter, 28, explained he saw several heart specialists and was told it is too dangerous for him to continue playing football. He also said he doesn't qualify for the surgery that would have a 50-50 chance of fixing the condition.

The Jaguars signed Gunter this offseason, and head coach Doug Marrone opened up about what he brought to the team, per John Reid of Jacksonville.com:

"We really like what Rodney brings to the team, both as a player and as a person, and we think he can play multiple positions for us. We know he's a good player against the run, but we think we can get some three-down play out of him and get some pass-rush. We have high expectations for him, and we are excited about him. He is one of the pieces that we feel is going to help us defend the run and help us become a better defense."

Gunter entered the league in 2015 when the Arizona Cardinals selected him with a fourth-round draft pick, and he spent the first five years of his career on the NFC West team.

He missed just three total games in those five years, and they all came last season because of a toe injury. He finished the 2019 campaign with three sacks after posting a career-best 4.5 during the 2018 season.

The Jaguars placed Gunter on the active/non-football injury list Aug. 8.

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced Tuesday they've activated quarterback Gardner Minshew II from the NFL's Reserve/COVID-19 list.

Minshew later confirmed to reporters, per James Palmer of NFL Network, that he did not test positive for the coronavirus, noting the virus "took one look at me and ran the other way."

Minshew joined safety Andrew Wingard (COVID list) and cornerback D.J. Hayden (PUP list) in returning to the Jags' active roster amid the opening stages of training camp.

Jacksonville traded veteran Nick Foles to the Chicago Bears in March, which set the stage for Minshew to open the 2020 season as the team's unquestioned starter.

The 24-year-old Washington State product was one of last year's breakout rookies after getting selected in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. He was the 10th quarterback off the board but quickly stepped into the Jaguars lineup after Foles suffered a broken clavicle in Week 1.

He put together an impressive debut campaign, completing 60.6 percent of his throws for 3,271 yards, with 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions across 14 appearances. He added 344 rushing yards.

In May, Minshew explained he was eager to keep proving people wrong, not only about himself but also the team, which owns a league-worst 250-1 odds to win the Super Bowl, per Caesars Palace.

"I think it should put a chip on everybody's shoulder on our team to be kind of counted out like that," he told reporters. "I think we do have a lot to prove that we're not what anybody says about us. I think we're going to set those expectations for ourselves and not worry about what anybody else has to say about us."

He'll throw to an unheralded but deep group of receivers. The quartet of DJ Chark Jr., Dede Westbrook, Chris Conley and Keelan Cole will be joined by second-round pick Laviska Shenault Jr.

Add in running backs Leonard Fournette and Chris Thompson and tight end Tyler Eifert, and the Jags offense has the pieces to significantly improve after finishing 26th in scoring last year.

That's heavily dependent on the continued development and health of Minshew since the team doesn't have a proven backup. Mike Glennon, Joshua Dobbs and rookie Jake Luton will compete for that job during camp.

Minshew proving his rookie season wasn't a fluke by pushing toward 30 total touchdowns would put Jacksonville in position to seriously compete for an AFC playoff berth.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, according to the team. 

Four other Jaguars were given that injury designation—running back Ryquell Armstead, tight end Charles Jones, wide receiver Michael Walker and safety Andrew Wingard. 

Those players will not have a designated timetable for remaining on the list. Instead, they can return to the team once they are medically cleared and pass through the protocols established by the NFL and NFLPA. 

Minshew became the second starting quarterback to be put on the reserve/COVID-19 list this week, following Detroit Lions starter Matt Stafford. 

Minshew, 24, heads into the 2020 season as the expected starter, which would make him the third quarterback to start the season for the team in as many years (Blake Bortles in 2018, Nick Foles in 2019). 

Foles didn't last long because of injury, however, and Minshew turned heads when he went 6-6 as the starter and threw for 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions, completing 60.6 percent of his passes. He was sacked 33 times and appeared in 14 total games. 

The Washington State product made history along the way, per Grant Gordon of NFL.com:

"Minshew became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to average 230-plus yards per game, while throwing for more than 20 touchdowns and less than 10 interceptions in a season (according to NFL Research). He's one of only four rookie QBs in NFL chronicle to have more than 20 touchdowns and less than 10 picks (he had six)."

He should have some nice weapons to work with in his sophomore season as well, with a promising receiver group headlined by DJ Chark, Chris Conley and rookie Laviska Shenault Jr., along with veteran running back Leonard Fournette. Expectations are realistic in Jacksonville after back-to-back losing seasons, with the major question surrounding the team being whether Minshew can establish himself as a franchise quarterback. 

While he remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list, veteran Mike Glennon will move to the top of the team's depth chart at quarterback.