Updated March 9, 2026, 11:08 p.m. ET
Jacksonville Jaguars’ free agent linebacker Devin Lloyd will be playing elsewhere in 2026.
According to Mike Garofolo of the NFL Network, Lloyd is signing a three-year deal worth $45 million, including $25 million guaranteed, to join the Carolina Panthers.
Why didn’t the Jaguars re-sign Devin Lloyd?
It’s just a hunch, but one would think that in a perfect world, the Jaguars would have found a way to retain Lloyd.
He’s coming off a breakout season in 2025 under defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, where he did a bit of everything, making an impact as a run defender, a blitzer, and in coverage, which included coming away with five interceptions.
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As a result, Lloyd was named a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro.
But with a salary cap, things aren’t always perfect in the NFL, and that may have been one of the bigger hurdles for the Jaguars to overcome.
At $15 million per year, Lloyd is now tied for the fourth-highest paid linebacker on an annual basis. The Jaguars, meanwhile, have $110,348 in salary cap space.
Now, of course, there are ways to make room, but it’s not as if creating enough space to absorb Lloyd’s new cap hit would be enough. The Jaguars stll have other positions to address, not to mention that they need cap space to sign the incoming draft class, and reserves for any in-season spending.
While we are just speculating, this may have been an instance where the Jacksonville just couldn’t offer what the Panthers were able to.
(This article will be updated.)