One and done.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have released veteran wide receiver Gabe Davis, the team announced Wednesday. Davis signed a three-year, $39 million deal with the AFC South franchise last off-season.
The move will result in a $20.3 million dead salary cap hit for the Jaguars. Davis received $24 million in guarantees when he signed with the Jaguars in free agency. He was sidelined for seven games last season after tearing the meniscus in his left knee and undergoing surgery back in November.
Davis, 26 years-of-age, snagged 20 passes for 239 yards and two scores in 10 games in 2024 before his departure. He logged 45 catches for 746 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, his final season in Orchard Park with the Buffalo Bills. His average of 12.7 yards per catch was the lowest of his five-year career. Davis also dropped two potential touchdown passes in the Jaguars’ 35-16 loss to the Chicago Bears in London in Week 6 on October 13.
The Jaguars traded Christian Kirk to Houston, released Evan Engram and signed receiver Dyami Brown in free agency, leaving Davis’ potential role in 2025 up in the air. The Jaguars drafted two-way player receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter in April, trading up from No. 5 to No. 2 with the Cleveland Browns, to take the Heisman Trophy winner, to pair with second-year star receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who set franchise rookie records in receptions (87) and receiving yards (1,282) in 2024. They are among the top wide receivers on the Jaguars’ depth chart.
Embed from Getty ImagesOther receivers currently on the roster are lesser-known names which include Parker Washington, Austin Trammell and Joshua Cephus, among others.
Those moves apparently made Davis expendable, even considering the massive dead cap hit.
A fourth-round pick by the Bills in the 2020 NFL Draft from the UCF Knights, Davis totaled 183 catches for 2,969 yards and 29 scores through his first 74 appearances of his NFL career as quarterback Josh Allen’s No. 2 receiver behind Stefon Diggs.
Hunter and the Jaguars will report to rookie minicamp Friday, May 9, in Jacksonville as an additional roster spot just became open for a young player to potentially fill this fall. Jaguars organized team activities are set to start May 19.
