The Jacksonville Jaguars are entering the 2026 campaign with some real optimism. In their first year under the lead of head coach Liam Coen, the Jaguars won the AFC South division, and while they were ultimately eliminated by the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round of the playoffs, there’s reason to believe this team will be better when it returns to action.
The Jags have a strong core group of talented players leading the way, but they have spent much of the offseason looking for ways to help make the lives of those guys easier. That has resulted in the front office taking fliers on several veteran players, but one of those players, cornerback Keith Taylor, recently saw his time with the team come to an end.
Jaguars Release Cornerback Keith Taylor
Taylor was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers, and that is where he spent the first two seasons of his career. Taylor played in all 34 games (five starts) during his time with the Panthers, often being used as a secondary defensive back who could fill in at several different spots. While in Carolina, Taylor racked up 67 tackles, six pass breakups, and one forced fumble.
Ahead of the 2023 campaign, Taylor was part of the Panthers’ final roster cuts, but he was quickly scooped up by the Kansas City Chiefs. While he didn’t suit up for the team at all in 2023, spending the entire year on the practice squad instead, Taylor won a Super Bowl with the team that year. He would play in 11 games next year, but he was used primarily on special teams.
In 2025, Taylor joined the Atlanta Falcons, bouncing between the active roster and practice squad for much of the year. Jacksonville signed him to its active roster in December, and he re-signed with the team back in February. However, he suffered a torn pectoral earlier this month, which landed him on injured reserve, ending his season. The Jags recently released Taylor with an injury settlement, though, allowing him to sign with a new team and play for them in 2026.
“Jaguars removed Keith Taylor from injured reserve with an injury settlement,” Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston shared in a post on X.
Could the Jaguars Use More Depth at Cornerback?
GettyThe Jaguars have released former Super Bowl-winning cornerback Keith Taylor
Considering how he was placed on injured reserve, the Jaguars were already planning on not having Taylor at their disposal this upcoming season. Even before that happened, though, you could make an argument that Jacksonville needed more help at the cornerback position. Travis Hunter, Montaric Brown, and Jourdan Lewis are leading the way at this spot, but both Hunter and Lewis are dealing with injuries currently.
While Dane Jackson and Jarrian Jones are solid depth options, the rest of the players behind them are fairly unproven. It couldn’t necessarily hurt to see if there’s a veteran option still available in free agency who could come to town and at least provide some extra competition at this spot during training camp, but it seems like the front office feels confident in the group of players it has at its disposal currently.
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