Mitch Morse didn’t take long to find a new job.
Morse agreed to a two-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars worth $10.5 million with $7 million guaranteed, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported on Monday, per sources informed of the deal.
The Buffalo Bills cut Morse last week in a cost-saving move. The release makes him eligible to sign with a new club before the official start of free agency on Wednesday.
A 2015 second-round pick by Kansas City, Morse re-unites with Doug Pederson in Jacksonville, the Chiefs offensive coordinator during the center’s rookie season.
Morse has been a reliable force for years in Buffalo, earning a Pro Bowl in 2022. One of the better pass-protecting centers in the league, his presence immediately upgrades the blocking in front of Trevor Lawrence. Morse should also help open more holes in a Jags ground game that struggled to find consistent lanes last season.
The Jags entered the offseason knowing they needed to upgrade the center position, where Luke Fortner struggled mightily, including ranking 32nd in run blocking among 32 qualifying centers last season, per Pro Football Focus.
For Pederson’s offense to get out of the malaise it experienced last season, the blocking must improve. Before free agency, the Jags have already extended the contract of left guard Ezra Cleveland, reworked right guard Brandon Scherff‘s deal, and now signed Morse. The focus on the line shouldn’t end, as there is room for depth and youth to be added in the draft.
