If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor is set to leave the team Wednesday when free agency begins after agreeing to a massive four-year, $80 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
While free agency doesn’t officially start until the new league year begins Wednesday, the “legal tampering period” started Monday. Taylor was expected to be one of the top offensive tackles of the class and agreed to his deal shortly after the Denver Broncos landed Mike McGlinchey on a five-year contract.
While McGlinchey received an average of $17.5 million per year on his five-year deal with Denver, Taylor’s eclipses that mark at a cool $20 million per season — a number that would’ve been very difficult for Jacksonville to match.
So my understanding is that the #chiefs are out on Orlando Brown Jr moving forward. Jawaan Taylor is expected to play LT for KC.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) March 13, 2023
Taylor, 25, was a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, but struggled through the first three seasons of his career, allowing 133 pressures in those years, per PFF. After a push from Walker Little in training camp, Taylor managed to keep his starting role for the 2022 season.
He rewarded the Jaguars’ faith with a career-best season. Taylor allowed only 16 pressures on the year as the Jacksonville pass offense led the way for a team that won the AFC South and reached the Divisional Round.
Taylor’s emergence was aided by the ascension of Trevor Lawrence, who become one of the NFL’s best at getting the ball out quick and avoiding pressure. It helped too that the Jaguars spent big money in the 2022 offseason to put five-time Pro Bowler Brandon Scherff on Taylor’s left.
Earlier Monday, Chiefs right tackle Andrew Wylie agreed to a deal with the Washington Commanders.
