The Jacksonville Jaguars’ new front office already has a blemish on its record, and it’s a significant one: former linebacker Jack Kiser is out, claimed off waivers Monday by the Cincinnati Bengals.
That move reunites Kiser with his former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden, but it also marks Kiser as the first draft miss of the Liam Coen/James Gladstone/Tony Boselli era. The Jaguars took Kiser with the No. 107 pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, just three spots after grabbing running back Bhayshul Tuten at No. 104 overall.
Tuten has since become a key piece of what Jacksonville does a year later. Kiser never found that kind of footing.
As a rookie, Kiser worked mostly in a backup role. He played in 14 games last season, finishing with 14 tackles while logging 43 defensive snaps and 193 special teams snaps, which accounted for 53% of his time on the field.
But his second training camp went sideways quickly. On the first day of practice, he suffered a knee injury during team drills.
He never returned to practice during camp. Jacksonville waived him after camp, then brought him back on the practice squad. Later, he was elevated from there and signed back to the active roster earlier this season, but he never got into a game this year.
The Jaguars moved on from him again this weekend as part of a larger round of roster shuffling before their Week 5 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Instead of keeping Kiser around, they promoted fellow 2025 draftee Jalen McLeod from the practice squad to the active roster.
For Jacksonville, Kiser’s exit makes him the first of the team’s 19 draft picks over the last two seasons to land with another club. It also underscores how quickly the Jaguars made their decision on him. They had already chosen veteran backup linebacker Jahlani Tavai over Kiser at the end of training camp, and that view clearly did not change.
Injuries complicated Kiser’s path, no doubt. Even so, Jacksonville never appeared interested in giving him a real run at a starting job alongside Ventrell Miller and Branson Combs after Devin Lloyd left in free agency.
That suggested the team was comfortable cutting bait after one season. Better to move on early than late, sure - but the miss looks even sharper with stud Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker going just a few picks later.
Not every 2025 pick is in the same danger zone. McLeod was in Kiser’s exact position not long ago, but he has stood out on special teams and looks to have at least carved out a role. Third-rounders Caleb Ransaw and Wyatt Milum still have not produced much yet, but they are nowhere near the point of being off the roster entirely like Kiser.
He won’t be the last Jaguars draft pick to miss. But for this regime, he is the first.
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Eagles Loss Sparked A TV Moment Fans Are Still Arguing Over
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The shot split viewers almost immediately on social media, with some criticizing the cameraman for lingering on the child and others defending it as part of live sports coverage in an emotional moment. ESPN has not issued a statement about the incident, leaving the debate to keep playing out long after the Jaguars left Wembley with the win. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Fans Had Another Reason To Boil Over After London Loss
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NFL Networks telecast ran into multiple technical problems along the way, including missed replays, audio issues and even a stadium sound blackout. For viewers trying to follow a tight game from across the Atlantic, the glitches only added to the annoyance of watching Jacksonville leave with the win, and it gave Eagles fans one more reason to boil over after the loss. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Face A Trevor Lawrence Problem They Can't Ignore
Anton Harrisons exit in Week 5 put a fresh spotlight on an already delicate spot for the Jaguars, with the left tackle carted off the field and not returning. Jacksonville is now waiting on MRI results to learn how serious the injury is, and head coach Liam Coen said the team is handling the situation with that uncertainty in mind as it looks ahead to the next stretch.
For Trevor Lawrence, the timing matters because the front side of the protection can shape everything Jacksonville wants to do on offense. The good news for the Jaguars is that they do have options if Harrison is sidelined, with Walker Little, Wyatt Milum, Daniel Faalele and Patrick Mekari all candidates to help fill the void while the team sorts out how long it may be without one of its key linemen. [Read more 🡒]