JACKSONVILLE – A major day in the Jaguars' offseason had an expected feel Friday.
With the NFL's 2019 League Year approaching, the Jaguars on Friday afternoon released five veterans: defensive tackle Malik Jackson, free safety Tashaun Gipson, right tackle Jermey Parnell, long snapper Carson Tinker and running back Carlos Hyde.
The moves all involved veteran players whose releases will clear salary cap space for 2019. The Jaguars had been expected to release multiple veterans to be at or under the salary cap by Wednesday's start of the 2019 NFL League Year. That's also the date teams can begin signing unrestricted free agents.
Jackson, Gipson and Parnell all signed with the Jaguars as unrestricted free agents – with Jackson making the Pro Bowl following the 2017 season and all three players starting at their positions throughout all or most of their time with the team. Hyde was acquired in a midseason trade this past season, and Tinker signed with the team as a collegiate free agent following the 2013 NFL Draft.
Jackson, who signed with the Jaguars in the 2016 offseason as an unrestricted free agent from Denver, started 42 of 48 games played in three seasons with the team and registered a career-high eight sacks during his 2017 Pro Bowl season. He finished his Jaguars career with 105 tackles, 18 sacks, four forced fumbles and seven passes defensed. He started his first 42 games with the team before playing the final six games last season as a reserve.
Gipson, who signed with the Jaguars in the 2016 offseason as an unrestricted free agent from Cleveland, started all 48 games with the Jaguars and helped the Jaguars rank second in the NFL in passing defense each of the past two seasons. He finished his Jaguars career with 159 tackles, six interceptions and 14 passes defensed. He intercepted four passes in 2017.
Parnell, the longest-tenured Jaguars player released Friday, signed with the Jaguars in the 2015 offseason as an unrestricted free agent from Dallas. He started 57 of a possible 64 games played.
Hyde, acquired by the Jaguars in a trade this past October 19 with the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, rushed for 189 yards on 59 carries in eight games with the team.
Tinker, the most-tenured Jaguars player last season (along with Abry Jones), played in 69 games for the Jaguars.
