The Jacksonville Jaguars waived linebacker Dylan Moses, the team announced on Monday. The Jaguars signed Moses as an undrafted free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft. However, he was sidelined for his entire rookie season as he was attempting to recover from a significant knee injury suffered just before the start of the 2019 College Football season. The former Alabama Crimson Tide defender played in 12 games during his senior season in 2020, but did not appear to have the same athletic profile following the injury. The Jaguars and Moses used his rookie year in the NFL as a pseudo-medical-redshirt season. But with a new coaching staff now in place, led by former Eagles' head coach and Super Bowl champion Doug Pederson, the Jags decided to move on from Moses. The Jaguars wanted to see if they could help Moses rehab his knee and get him back to the level of play he displayed before his knee injury. However, the move to release him means that the team no longer saw the benefit of continuing with that strategy. Nevertheless, it was a worthy effort by the organization. Moses was one of the most talented linebackers in the country prior to his injury, one that likely would have heard his name on the first two days of the NFL Draft. Having already released linebacker Myles Jack, the Jaguars appear set to make sweeping changes to their linebacker group this offseason. Jack and Moses are out, and Foyesade Oluokun, the former Atlanta Falcon and the NFL's leading tackler in 2021, is in. The Jaguars currently have six linebackers on their roster: Foye Oluokun, Shaquille Quarterman, Elijah Sullivan, Tyrell Adams, Chappelle Russell, and Jamir Jones.
My Take: The Jaguars have done an excellent job with undrafted free agents during Shad Khan's tenure, primarily thanks to Tony, Shad's son and the team's Chief Football Strategy Officer. His analytical approach to undrafted free agency has netted the team some talented young prospects, including Tre Herndon, Jarrod Wilson, and Mike Hilton. A roll of the dice on someone with Dylan Moses' injury situation was always going to be just that: a roll of the dice. The Jaguars must feel it's no longer in the team's best interest to move forward with his rehab. Linebacker was already set to be one of the most pressing needs on the roster. The Jaguars don't have any linebackers outside of Foye Oluokun with quality starting experience. A linebacker on the second day of the draft — where the Jaguars hold picks 33, 65, and 70 — looks increasingly likely. Follow Jordan on Twitter. |
