Vikings offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland is in the final year of his rookie contract with the franchise. With the NFL free agency just a few days ahead, he was expected to hit free agency.
However, now it seems like he won’t have to go through all these complicated procedures as an NFL team is already reported to be signing him.
Jaguars sign Ezra Cleveland to $14.5 million guaranteed contract
The Jacksonville Jaguars solidified their offensive line by inking a three-year deal with offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. The pact is worth $28.5 million, with $14.5 million guaranteed. This move secures Cleveland’s future in Jacksonville and keeps him off the free agent market, which opens next week.
Cleveland will get a $9.5 million per year contract which is quite high for a player who had an average performance in 2023. But he is an experienced offensive lineman and wouldn’t have settled for less.
Till now the team and Ezra Cleveland have not officially announced this new contract. However, reportedly the deal has already been finalized. It will help Ezra Cleveland not get indulged in the upcoming free agency procedures.
In return, the Jaguars gave the Vikings a sixth-round draft pick. Ezra Cleveland can be a good addition to the Jaguars but he has been inconsistent at times in the run game, despite quality play from those around him. This has led to a few tackles-for-losses at critical times.
Despite that, he is an above-average player who can help the team improve their performance.
What does Ezra Cleveland bring to Jaguars?
Ezra Cleveland started 49 games for the Vikings during his four-season tenure. In the 2023 season, he started the first six games of the Vikings and scored 248 pass-blocking snaps. His 73.8 PFF grade ranks 8th/84 eligible guards. He only got two penalties during the season.
The general manager of the Jaguars, Trent Baalke believes that Cleveland can upgrade a position at which Jacksonville used four different starters in 2023, including Ben Bartch, Tyler Shatley, and Walker Little. The raw PFF grade of the OL is higher than both Brandon Scherff (67.6) and Tyler Shatley (46.5).
Ezra Cleveland will be a great addition to the Jaguars as the team is working on their roster to improve for the upcoming season. The team has also re-signed the backup safety and special teams standout Daniel Thomas. Now, Ezra Cleveland has also been added to the Jaguars roster.
The Jaguars are striving hard to make sure they enter the 2024 season with possibly the best roster.
