JACKSONVILLE – Marcell Dareus officially became a free agent Wednesday.
He wasn't alone, with 19 other Jaguars players becoming unrestricted free agents when the 2020 NFL League Year officially began Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Dareus, a defensive tackle acquired from the Buffalo Bills in an October 2017 trade, became a free agent because the Jaguars decided to not pick up the option on his contract for 2020. Like the other 19 players who became free agents, he is now free to sign with another team – and the possibility also remains to re-sign with the Jaguars.
The other Jaguars players who became free agents Wednesday at 4 p.m.:
Linebacker D.J. Alexander, linebacker Preston Brown, defensive tackle Carl Davis, safety Cody Davis, tight end Seth DeValve, linebacker Najee Goode, offensive lineman Ben Ijalana, tight end Ben Koyack, defensive end Lerentee McCray, running back Devante Mays, offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, tight end Nick O'Leary, linebacker James Onwualu, linebacker Donald Payne, cornerback Josh Robinson, linebacker Jake Ryan, offensive guard/center Tyler Shatley, defensive tackle Akeem Spence and offensive lineman Brandon Thomas.
The players becoming free agents started a combined 24 games for the Jaguars this past season, with McCray and Cody Davis playing key roles on special teams units in recent seasons.
Goode moved into a starting role briefly at midseason last season while Dareus was a key part of the Jaguars' interior defense the past two-and-a-half seasons. Dareus, who played six games last season before a season-ending core-muscle injury, registered 13 tackles with a half sack, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry. Goode registered 24 tackles, a sack and two passes defensed with a quarterback hurry and a tackle for loss in four starts.
Ogbuehi was active in 14 games last season as the Jaguars' swing tackle, and Shatley has started 15 games since signing with the Jaguars as a collegiate free agent after the 2014 NFL Draft.
DeValve started six games last season with 12 receptions for 140 yards. O'Leary started three games with nine receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown. Koyack started six games with one reception for nine yards.
