Jaguars Sign Leading Tackler Oluokun to 3-Year Deal

The Jacksonville Jaguars have locked up one of their own. Foyesade Oluokun is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Going into the final year of his contract, the Jaguars have officially extended the team’s veteran linebacker, awarding him a new four-year deal worth $45 million with half of that, $22.5 million fully guaranteed at the time of signing, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero. The deal adds three years to Oluokun’s contract.

Extending Oluokun now gives the Jaguars cap flexibility this year. Oluokun was set to count $21,750,668 against the franchise’s salary cap this year, entering the final year of his initial three-year deal with the organization. At this time, it is uncertain what Oluokun’s cap hit for the 2024 season will be with this latest extension.

In 2022, Oluokun inked a three-year deal worth $45 million and $28 million guaranteed at signing.

Oluokun spent the first four seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2018 draft out of Yale. Oluokun has led the NFL in tackles in two of the past three seasons (2021 with Atlanta and 2022 with the Jaguars).

Since being signed by the Jaguars, Oluokun has become one of the key cogs of the team’s defense. In 36 games with the Jaguars, including the playoffs, Oluokun has registered 384 tackles including 251 solos, 21 quarterback hits, 20 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, 11 pass breakups, one interception and a touchdown. He is the ultimate Swiss army knife filling up the stat sheet.

A highly productive player, Oluokun paced the league in two crucial categories, total and solo tackles in 2022 with the Jaguars, accounting for 184 total tackles with 128 solos. In 2023, Oluokun led the league in solo tackles with 111.

Oluokun has also taken on a leadership role and has been a captain for the team since signing in 2022 and likely will hold the title moving forward. With Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson emphasizing accountability and leadership with his players at the Annual Meetings earlier this week, it highlighted the importance of keeping Oluokun in the fold long-term.

The Jaguars were set to enter 2024 with a number of players on a one-year deal, including Oluokun. Now, the team will retain one of its most productive players for years to come, while giving the franchise more space to work with on other deals, including one to extend outside linebacker Josh Allen and quarterback Trevor Lawrence.