NFL free agency is off and running, and we're keeping track of every major signing, trade and release of the 2026 offseason, with analysis from our NFL Nation reporters and grades from our experts.
The new league year began Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, which means free agents can now officially be signed. The first round of the 2026 NFL draft begins April 23 on ESPN.
Here's a breakdown of every 2026 NFL free agent signing by the Jacksonville Jaguars and how each will impact the upcoming season:
Chris Rodriguez Jr., RB
Rodriguez signs a two-year, $10 million deal with a max value of $12 million with $6.2 million fully guaranteed.
What it means: The Jaguars brought Rodriguez in to complement second-year player Bhayshul Tuten, who ran for 307 yards and five TDs and caught 10 passes for 79 yards and two TDs last season as a backup to Travis Etienne Jr. The expectation is Tuten takes over as the No. 1 in 2026, but Rodriguez will get plenty of work as well. Rodriguez rushed for 920 yards and 10 TDs in three seasons in Washington, including 500 yards and 6 TDs last season. He played at Kentucky from 2019-2022, which includes one season with current Jaguars head coach Liam Coen as the Wildcats' offensive coordinator (2021).
Montaric Brown, CB
Brown will remain in Jacksonville on a three-year, $33 million dollar deal, his agents from Milk & Honey Sports told ESPN.
What it means: With Brown's signing, the Jaguars now have their two starting outside cornerbacks under contract for 2026 (Travis Hunter). Brown led the team with 12 PBUs last season and was one of the defense's most consistent players. Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile's system is heavy on zone coverage, which is Brown's strength. His 69.6 passer rating in coverage was the sixth-best in the NFL among cornerbacks with at least 200 coverage snaps, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
Brown was an afterthought when he was drafted in the seventh round in 2022, but steadily improved, going from mainly a special teams player to a 22-game starter over the past two seasons. Brown likely could have likely landed a bigger contract had he hit free agency but the sides came to an agreement on an extension hours before the negotiating period began.
Dennis Gardeck, LB
Jaguars gave Gardeck a two-year deal to return to Jacksonville.
What it means: The Jaguars brought Gardeck in last season to be a key player on special teams, but his role on defense evolved as the season progressed. He ended up being used as an outside rusher at times, which allowed DE Travon Walker to move inside to provide some interior rush. Gardeck finished with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble along with 48 tackles and nine quarterback hits. He'll have the benefit of a healthy offseason -- he was coming off a torn ACL last offseason -- and with the likely departure of Devin Lloyd, his role on defense may expand even further.
