JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jaguars wasted little time during the free-agent negotiating period to make a big impact.
The team agreed to terms with five-time Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff, wide receiver Christian Kirk, linebacker Foye Oluokun and defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi, sources told ESPN — all in the first three hours after the legal tampering period began at noon ET.
Kirk agreed to a four-year deal worth up to $84 million, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
None of the deals can be signed until Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. In one afternoon, general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson addressed two of their biggest weaknesses — receiver and offensive line — and fortified the defense by adding the league’s leading tackler in 2021.
The Jaguars have an opening at left guard since they’re not bringing back free agent Andrew Norwell. Scherff could slide into that spot, or the Jaguars could move third-year player Ben Bartch from right guard to left guard and have Scherff play right guard. Bartch started 11 games as an injury replacement for A.J. Cann in 2021.
Scherff, the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, became one of the NFL’s best guards during his seven seasons with Washington. He excels in both the run and pass games and remains one of the better interior players blocking in the open field.
Despite injuries, Scherff, 30, has made the Pro Bowl in five of the past six seasons. He was an All-Pro in 2020.
Kirk, who turned 25 last November, had nearly 1,000 yards last season, his first season in which he played every game.
He led the Arizona Cardinals in receiving yards (982), receptions (77) and targets (103) last season. He also had five touchdowns, playing as Arizona’s No. 3 receiver behind DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green. Kirk’s production was the result of finally being healthy for an entire season and a decision by coach Kliff Kingsbury to move him to the slot, his natural position, full-time for the first time in his NFL career.
Oluokun led the NFL with 192 tackles for the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 — 102 solo and 90 assisted. It was part of a breakout season for the player, who was select in the sixth round of the 2018 draft.
Fatukasi, 27, started 15 games for the New York Jets last season and had 46 tackles.
Scherff hasn’t played a full season since 2016, missing a combined 22 games over the past four seasons. He missed six games this past season — two because of COVID-19 and four because of a sprained left knee.
Washington used the franchise tag on Scherff in each of the past two years, paying him $18 million last season. The tag made it difficult for the two sides to agree on a long-term deal.
Durability had been a concern with Kirk through his first three seasons, but last season seemed to ease the chatter around his ability to stay healthy.
Kirk also has the ability to return punts and kicks. He wasn’t asked to do much of either last season with the Cardinals’ addition of rookie receiver Rondale Moore, but in 2018 and 2020, Kirk had at least 20 punt returns.
A Yale graduate, Oluokun, who turns 27 in August, played in 64 games for Atlanta with 41 starts. He intercepted five passes for 145 yards while defending 11 passes. He also forced seven fumbles — four of them in 2020 — with one fumble recovery.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Oluokun took on even more responsibility last season as the middle linebacker in coordinator Dean Pees’ system, playing 98% of the defensive snaps.
ESPN’s John Keim, Josh Weinfuss and Michael Rothstein contributed to this report.
Source: www.espn.com