JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars addressed special teams in a big way Wednesday.
They did so by acquiring one of the top returners available in the NFL's free-agency period, a wide receiver who began his career as a cornerback.
Jamal Agnew, a wide receiver/returner who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions, has agreed to terms to sign with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent. The team announced the agreement Wednesday at 4 p.m., the start of the NFL's 2021 League Year.
Agnew (5-feet-10, 190 pounds), 25, played last season for Jaguars offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, the Lions' offensive coordinator the past three seasons and their interim head coach for the final five games of the 2020 season.
Agnew, a fifth-round selection by the Lions in the 2017 NFL Draft from San Diego, began his NFL career as a cornerback before moving to wide receiver full-time this past season. He has five career returns for touchdowns – four punt returns and one kickoff return. He had two punt returns for touchdowns as a rookie in 2017, a season in which he was a first-team Associated Press All-Pro selection.
He has returned 74 punts for a career average of 11.6 yards per return; he has 64 career kickoffs for a career average of 25.8 yards per return. Agnew also has 16 career receptions for 105 yards.
The Jaguars on Wednesday at 4 p.m. also announced they had agreed to terms with 10 other unrestricted free agents: defensive lineman Tyson Alualu, wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, safety Rudy Ford, cornerback Shaquill Griffin, running back Carlos Hyde, safety Rayshawn Jenkins, wide receiver Marvin Jones, tight end Chris Manhertz, defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris and defensive end Jihad Ward.
They also announced they acquired defensive tackle Malcolm Brown in a trade with the New Orleans Saints.
