After cutting nearly 20 players on Monday and Tuesday this week, the Jacksonville Jaguars continued paring down their roster by waiving four players and releasing a fifth on Wednesday. Among the casualties in the move were both of the team’s kickers, Jake Verity and James McCourt, who were in the midst of a preseason battle to become the team’s go-to leg on kickoffs and field goals.
Others who saw their time in Duval County come to an end were linebacker Jamir Jones, offensive lineman Will Richardson Jr. and safety Josh Thompson. Both Jones and Richardson were second-stringers on the Jaguars’ official depth chart, while Thomson was buried behind established talents in on the third-string in the secondary.
The move to cut these players will put Jacksonville below the 53-player threshold, allowing them to pursue some of the other talent that has recently become available as other teams trim their personnel. There are now holes on the depth chart that will necessitate Jacksonville take immediate action, especially at kicker, to get their team ready to compete against the Washington Commanders in Week 1.
The Jaguars have the first priority on the NFL’s waiver wire, and should be able to grab any talent they think could help them win in the regular season if an intriguing prospect becomes available. They also have about $10 million in cap space after Wednesdays cuts that they could use to lure more established players to Duval County ahead of the regular season kickoff.
This move is a clear indication that Jacksonville intends to find several new players to bring in to fill out their final roster, and that the week’s drama is far from over. With a few signings of veteran players at key positions on both sides of the ball, Jacksonville could be in a much more stable position in the regular season than some might have expected after four disappointing preseason losses.
