The Jacksonville Jaguars have taken the final step towards the start of the 2026 campaign, as they have trimmed their roster down to 53 players. After surprisingly winning the AFC South division last year, expectations are higher for the Jags entering the new season, but the coaching staff believes it has the right combination of players in town to help them build off what they accomplished in 2025.
One guy who is set to play a big role for Jacksonville is star defensive end Josh Hines-Allen. As one of the more consistent pass rushers in the NFL, Hines-Allen is wildly important to the Jaguars’ plans on the defensive side of the ball. However, that didn’t stop the front office from making a move involving him and his $141.25 million contract right before the start of the season.
Jaguars Save $4.56 Million By Restructuring Josh Hines-Allen’s Contract
Hines-Allen entered the pros as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and ever since then, he’s been a key piece of the Jaguars’ defense. While he is frequently confused with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, there’s no hiding from the fact that Hines-Allen is a star in his own right who deserves more attention for his strong play on the field.
Through his first seven seasons, Hines-Allen has earned a pair of Pro Bowl selections, with his best year coming in 2023 when he racked up 17.5 sacks. Hines-Allen remained as consistent as ever in 2025, as he racked up 49 tackles and eight sacks in 17 games of action. Jacksonville’s pass rush is a sneaky scary unit, and Hines-Allen is the leader of the group.
In 2024, Hines-Allen put pen to paper on his aforementioned five-year contract extension, which rightfully paid him as one of the top players at his position in the league. The Jaguars, in search of cap space, decided to revisit Hines-Allen’s deal ahead of the new season, and the two sides ended up agreeing on a restructured deal that will free up $4.56 million for the front office to work with.
“The Jaguars created $4.56 million in cap room with simple restructure of Josh Hines-Allen’s contract,” Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap shared in a post on X.
Jaguars Expecting Big Things From Josh Hines-Allen in 2026
It’s tough to be underrated when you are getting paid the amount of money Hines-Allen is getting from the Jaguars, but in a lot of ways, he is. Despite having racked up at least seven sacks in all but one of his pro seasons, Hines-Allen is overlooked when it comes to his ability to get after the quarterback. And yet, when watching him play, it doesn’t take long to see just how good of a player he is.
Jacksonville is going to have a target on its back after showing just how good of a team it was last season. That means Hines-Allen and company will need to keep on finding a way to drop opposing quarterbacks in the backfield in 2026. With this move in the books, it will be worth watching the front office to see how it intends to put this extra cap space to use.
Jaguars Make $4.56 Million Move With Former First-Round Pick Josh Hines-Allen