Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Adam Gotsis (96) and defensive end Dawuane Smoot (91) talk on the sidelines during late fourth quarter action. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Cleveland Browns at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida Friday, August 12, 2022 for the first home preseason game of the season. The Browns won with a final score of 24 to 13. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]

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Jaguars retain DT Adam Gotsis with two-year deal

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Adam Gotsis agreed on a two-year deal to remain with the team, his agent, David Canter of GSE Worldwide, announced Saturday on Twitter.

Terms of the deal weren’t divulged.

Gotsis, 30, has spent the past three seasons with the Jaguars and had 83 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 47 games (19 starts). The Australian native started 14 games in 2020 and has primarily been a reserve over the past two seasons.

Gotsis spent his first four NFL seasons with Denver after being a second-round pick out of Georgia Tech by the Broncos in 2016. He started 28 of 57 regular-season games played with Denver.

Overall, Gotsis has 192 tackles, 9.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 104 games (47 starts) over seven NFL campaigns.

–Field Level Media

Jan 21, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tre Herndon (37) reacts after a play against the Kansas City Chiefs during an AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Jaguars CB Tre Herndon agrees to terms on contract

Free agent cornerback Tre Herndon agreed to terms on a contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed by the Jaguars, however ESPN reported it was a one-year contract worth $2.6 million guaranteed.

Herndon, 27, recorded 36 tackles, five passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 15 games (one start) last season.

He has totaled 197 tackles and three interceptions in 67 career games (30 starts) since joining Jacksonville after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2018.

Herndon signed one-year deals the past two seasons after the expiration of his three-year, entry-level contract.

–Field Level Media

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard (42) listens to music before an NFL first round playoff football matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Chargers Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars edged the Los Angeles Chargers on a field goal 31-30. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

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Report: Jaguars re-signing S Andrew Wingard

The Jacksonville Jaguars are bringing back safety Andrew Wingard on a three-year deal, NFL Network said Tuesday.

The contract has a $9.6 million base value ($6 million guaranteed) and is worth up to $13.8 million with incentives, per the report.

Contracts can become official on Wednesday, the first day of the new league year.

Wingard, 26, played in all 17 games (three starts) for the AFC South champions in 2022, finishing with 37 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble.

He has four interceptions, two sacks and 205 tackles in 61 games (24 starts) since signing with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

–Field Level Media

Oct 3, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley (18) runs after a catch against the Washington Football Team in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Calvin Ridley: Betting on football ‘worst mistake of my life’

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley admitted to battling depression and anxiety during the time in his life that ultimately led to a year-long suspension by the NFL.

Ridley’s admission came during his 2,341-word article entitled “A Letter to the Game” in The Players’ Tribune on Wednesday, two days after he was reinstated by the league for placing bets on league games.

Ridley, 28, wasted no time getting to the heart of the matter in Wednesday’s article.

“To the football world, and everyone who loves this game: I (expletive) up. I’m not here to sugarcoat anything. In 2021, I made the worst mistake of my life by gambling on football,” Ridley wrote.

“I paid the price, believe me. I’ve seen all the jokes. I’ve seen all the hate. And I can shoulder all of that, no problem. All I want is for people to understand that, when I made those bets, there was a hell of a lot more going on with me.

“This is hard for a dude like me to talk about, but I want to be real with everybody. Back then, I was depressed. I was battling anxiety. I didn’t even want to leave my house. Football was the only thing that ever gave my life meaning, and I couldn’t even find any joy in that at the time. Honestly, I couldn’t even get up off the chair in my living room. Everything was just … dark.”

Ridley detailed that he had played most of the 2020 season with a broken foot. He posted career-best totals in catches (90) and receiving yards (1,374) with the Atlanta Falcons, while his nine touchdowns were one short of his rookie season.

“I was killing it on one foot, for real,” Ridley wrote. “Actually, I had played through bone spurs my first two years. Just gritted through it with painkillers. But then, my third year, the wheels came off. Week 8, we were playing Carolina and I remember looking at (then-teammate Julio Jones) and I just knew. I said, ‘Nah, bro, this is different.’

“When I got the MRI, though, the trainer told me it was just a bone bruise. So I kept pushing. I took Toradol shots every Sunday, and I finished the season. Listen, I know the deal. I’m a football player. It was my decision. I know what we get paid for, you feel me? If it’s really just a bruise, I’m gonna be out there.”

Ridley admitted that he rushed back to the team to start the next season given his top-wideout slot following the departure of Jones. He then noted that his house was robbed following the season opener in 2021, during which he saw “five or six guys come in with guns drawn. If you have a child, that’s your worst nightmare. My wife was traumatized. She couldn’t sleep at night. She couldn’t stand me being out of the house.”

Ridley noted the anxiety had ratcheted up at that point — and he stepped away from the team following Week 7.

“I wasn’t good. It’s as simple as that,” Ridley wrote. “I’m as mentally strong as they come, believe me. But I really just needed a break. So I stepped away from the team.”

While away for approximately a month, Ridley said he made a “stupid” mistake.

“I was still just so depressed and angry, and the days were so long. I was looking for anything to take my mind off of things and make the day go by faster,” he wrote. “One day, I saw a TV commercial for a betting app, and for whatever reason, I downloaded it on my phone. I deposited like $1,500 total, literally just for something to do. I was going to bet like $200 on some NBA games that night, but then I just added a bunch more games to a parlay. I put the Falcons in on it. I was just doing it to root on my boys, basically. I didn’t have any inside information. I wasn’t even talking to anybody on the team at the time. I was totally off the grid.

“Whenever people ask, ‘What were you thinking?’ The only answer I can give is, ‘I wasn’t.’

“When you’re depressed, you’re not thinking about anything in the future. You’re just trying to get through the day.”

Ridley admitted to placing $1,500 in wagers on NFL games in 2021. He bet on games between Nov. 23-28, 2021.

The Jaguars acquired Ridley at the trade deadline last Nov. 1, sending a 2023 fifth-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-rounder that could potentially become a second-round pick to the Falcons.

“Right now, I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt — mentally and physically,” Ridley wrote. “On the field, I’m flying. Believe me, I’m flying. That GPS band don’t lie. On my daughter’s name, if I’m healthy? With Trevor Lawrence? I’m giving Jacksonville 1,400 yards a season, period.”

–Field Level Media

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin (26) applies pressure as a pass intended for Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) goes incomplete Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Reports: Jaguars to release CB Shaquill Griffin

The Jacksonville Jaguars will release cornerback Shaquill Griffin in a cost-saving move, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.

Griffin had one season remaining on the three-year, $40 million contract extension he singed in March 2021. His release will save the Jaguars $13.1 million against the cap, per Spotrac.

A third-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Seahawks, Griffin spent his first four seasons in Seattle.

In two seasons with Jacksonville, Griffin, 27, appeared in 19 games and registered 11 passes defensed and a forced fumble. He played in just five games in 2022 because of a back injury.

In his six NFL seasons, Griffin has 76 appearances (72 starts), six interceptions, 59 passes defensed, a forced fumble, one sack and 327 tackles.

–Field Level Media

Jan 21, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17) runs the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half in the AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Jaguars use franchise tag on TE Evan Engram

The Jacksonville Jaguars used the franchise tag on tight end Evan Engram on Monday after his first season with the team.

The 2023 salary for tight ends on the franchise tag is $11,345,000.

Engram, 28, signed a one-year deal worth $9 million with the Jaguars in March 2022 after playing five seasons for the New York Giants.

Engram had a renaissance season for Jacksonville, hauling in career highs in catches (73) and yards (766) in 17 games (14 starts). He caught four touchdown passes.

Engram has 335 catches for 3,594 yards and 20 TDs in 82 career games (65 starts) after the Giants selected him No. 23 overall in the 2017 draft.

Other players locked up ahead of Tuesday’s franchise-tag deadline included Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard and Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne.

The Baltimore Ravens plan to apply the tag to star quarterback Lamar Jackson if the sides do not reach an agreement on a long-term contract by Tuesday.

–Field Level Media

Oct 24, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley (18) makes a catch in the end zone for a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter of the game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

NFL reinstates Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley was reinstated from a year-long suspension by the NFL on Monday.

The league said Ridley was granted full reinstatement, one year after he was suspended for admitting to placing bets on NFL games.

“Ridley, who had been suspended indefinitely since March 2022 for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, is eligible to participate in all team activities, effective immediately,” the NFL said.

The league suspended Ridley last March 7 through at least the 2022 season with the qualifier he could apply for the suspension to be lifted on Feb. 15, 2023.

Ridley admitted to placing $1,500 in wagers on NFL games in 2021. He bet on games between Nov. 23-28, 2021, when he was away from his then-team, the Atlanta Falcons, for personal reasons.

“I don’t have a gambling problem,” Ridley tweeted after the suspension was announced.

The Jaguars acquired Ridley at the trade deadline last Nov. 1, sending a 2023 fifth-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-rounder that could potentially become a second-round pick to the Falcons.

“This is an opportunity to add a proven playmaker to our already talented wide receiver room as we continue to build our roster for 2023 and beyond,” Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement at the time.

Ridley, 28, hasn’t played since Week 7 of the 2021 season. He finished that season with 31 catches for 281 yards and two touchdowns.

Since being selected No. 26 overall by the Falcons in the 2018 draft, Ridley has 248 catches for 3,342 yards and 28 TDs in 49 games (35 starts).

–Field Level Media

Jan 21, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17) runs with the ball during the second half of an AFC divisional round game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Jags expected to franchise TE Evan Engram

The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to place the franchise tag on tight end Evan Engram, ESPN reported Thursday.

The 2023 salary for tight ends on the franchise tag is $11.345 million.

Engram, 28, had a renaissance season for Jacksonville in 2022, hauling in career-highs in catches (73) and yards (766) in 17 games (14 starts). He caught four touchdown passes.

Engram signed a one-year deal worth $9 million with the Jaguars in March 2022 after five seasons playing for the New York Giants.

Engram has 335 catches for 3,594 yards and 20 TDs in 82 career games (65 starts) after he was selected No. 23 overall in the 2017 draft by the Giants.

–Field Level Media

Jan 14, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) against the Los Angeles Chargers during a wild card playoff game at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Jaguars rework deals, clear $26M in cap space

The Jaguars created $26.14 million in 2023 cap space by restructuring three deals, ESPN reported Tuesday.

Jacksonville converted a total of $32.657 million in base salary into signing bonuses for wide receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones and guard Brandon Scherff.

All three players signed free agent contracts with the Jaguars during the 2022 offseason.

Kirk, 26, set career highs across the board with 84 catches for 1,108 yards and eight TDs in 17 starts in 2022.

Jones, 27, also established career highs with 82 catches for 823 yards and added five TDs in 16 games (15 starts).

Scherff, 31, started all 17 games for an offense that finished 10th in both scoring and total offense last season.

–Field Level Media

Jan 14, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris (95) against the Los Angeles Chargers during a wild card playoff game at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Jags DL Roy Robertson-Harris agrees to extension

The Jacksonville Jaguars and defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris agreed to a three-year, $30 million extension, NFL Network reported.

He started all 17 games for the Jaguars in 2022 and registered three sacks, 12 quarterback hits and a career-high 45 tackles. He added 14 tackles (five for losses) and a sack in two playoff games.

Robertson-Harris, 29, had been set to enter the final season of a three-year, $23.4 million contract signed in March 2021.

Undrafted out of UTEP in 2016, Robertson-Harris has 13.5 sacks, 51 QB hits and 157 tackles in 83 games (43 starts) for the Chicago Bears (2017-20) and Jaguars.

–Field Level Media