The Jacksonville Jaguars are making a significant change to their offense, announcing on Wednesday morning that they have released wide receiver Gabe Davis. The move comes just one season after Davis signed a multi-year contract with the team, signaling a shift in direction under new leadership and impacting the Jaguars’ salary cap outlook for the upcoming season.
Gabe Davis’s Background
Before joining the Jacksonville Jaguars, Gabe Davis was a notable player known for his time with the Buffalo Bills. He had established a reputation as a dangerous deep threat in the NFL, capable of making explosive plays downfield. His performance with the Bills, particularly in playoff games, made him a sought-after player when he entered NFL free agency last offseason.
A Brief Tenure in Jacksonville
Gabe Davis signed a three-year contract with the Jaguars as a free agent during the last offseason, aiming to bring his big-play ability to Jacksonville’s offense. However, his tenure with the team proved to be short-lived.
Over 10 games played for the Jaguars, Davis recorded 20 receptions for 239 yards and two touchdowns. While his previous team role often involved fewer targets but higher yards-per-catch, his production in Jacksonville was limited compared to his potential impact as a free-agent acquisition.
Impact of New Leadership
A key factor contributing to Gabe Davis’s release is the change in leadership within the Jacksonville Jaguars organization since his arrival. The team has new figures in both the head coach and general manager positions.
Changes at the top levels of an NFL franchise often lead to roster turnover as new leadership evaluates the existing player personnel and seeks to bring in players who better fit their specific coaching schemes, strategic philosophies, and long-term vision for the team. Davis, having been signed by the previous regime, likely did not fit prominently into the plans of the new leadership, making him a candidate for release as they retool the roster.
Understanding the Salary Cap Implications
The financial aspect of releasing a player is a crucial consideration for NFL teams due to the salary cap. The Jaguars reportedly plan to designate Gabe Davis as a post-June 1 cut. This procedural designation is used by teams to manage the impact of “dead money” on their salary cap.
Dead money refers to salary cap charges from guaranteed portions of a player’s contract that remain on the team’s cap even after the player is no longer on the roster. By designating Davis as a post-June 1 cut, the Jaguars can spread the approximately $11.4 million in dead money associated with his contract over two years, limiting the immediate impact on their 2025 salary cap to roughly $5.7 million, with the remaining dead money counting against the 2026 cap. This designation provides the team with more salary cap flexibility for the current year.
Extensive Offseason Changes at Pass Catcher
Gabe Davis’s release is part of a broader pattern of significant turnover and reshaping within the Jacksonville Jaguars’ pass-catching positions this offseason. The team had already made several other moves involving wide receivers and tight ends. In March, the Jaguars released veteran wide receiver Josh Reynolds and tight end Evan Engram. More recently, they traded away starting wide receiver Christian Kirk.
To bring in new talent, they signed wide receiver Dyami Brown in NFL free agency and, notably, traded up in the 2025 NFL Draft to select wide receiver Travis Hunter with the second overall pick. This series of moves, culminating in the high draft capital spent on Hunter, indicates a clear and extensive effort by the Jaguars’ new leadership to dramatically reshape and upgrade their receiving corps heading into the upcoming season.
What’s Next for Gabe Davis
With his release from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Gabe Davis now becomes an unrestricted free agent. He is free to sign with any of the other 31 NFL teams. Given his prior reputation as a deep threat capable of stretching the field, he will likely attract interest from teams looking to add a veteran wide receiver with his specific skillset. His next opportunity will depend on finding a team whose offensive scheme fits his strengths and where he can potentially have a more prominent role.
The Jaguars’ Reshaped Receiving Corps
The departure of Gabe Davis, combined with the earlier releases of Reynolds and Engram, the trade of Kirk, and the additions of Dyami Brown and high draft pick Travis Hunter, leaves the Jacksonville Jaguars’ receiving corps with a significantly different look for the upcoming season. The team will be relying on a mix of returning players, new free-agent additions, and high draft capital investment to provide targets for their quarterback, marking a notable roster shift under the new leadership as they aim to improve the offense.
A Roster Shift
Gabe Davis’s tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars was a short one, lasting just a single season after signing a significant free agent contract. His release, executed as a post-June 1 cut to manage the salary cap, is symptomatic of the team’s broader offseason retooling, particularly among pass-catchers, driven by new leadership evaluating and reshaping the NFL roster.
As Davis enters NFL free agency and the Jaguars move forward with a significantly altered receiving corps, this move underscores the fluid nature of NFL roster news and the impact that changes in leadership and salary cap strategy can have on a player’s time with a team.
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