Fresh off of what could only be considered a monumentally disappointing 2023 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to re-establish themselves as one of the next teams up in the AFC. After already having signed former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis and Packers safety Darnell Savage, the Jags are now adding one of the biggest — literally and figuratively — free agents left on the board.

“A dark horse emerges: The #Jaguars are closing in on a deal to add a huge presence to their defense, as they are set to sign former #49ers DT Arik Armstead,” according to sources of NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The terms of the deal, as reported by ESPN's NFL insider Adam Schefter, are three years, $51 million.

Since being selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, Arik Armstead has been a mainstay along the Niners defensive line. In nine seasons, the 6'7″ Armstead has started 97 games across the 49ers front, including 65 in a row from 2018 to 2021.

The last two seasons, Armstead has dealt with injuries that have cost him thirteen games in total, which is part of the reason why he and the 49ers were unable to agree to a new deal earlier this week. Now Armstead, who grew up in California, played his college ball in Eugene for the Oregon Ducks, and then played nearly a decade in San Francisco, will need to relocate to the east coast to play for a Jaguars team that has been middle of the pack defensively each of the last two seasons under head coach Doug Pederson. Surely, Jacksonville will hope that adding a veteran presence like Armstead to the interior of their defensive line could make life easier to Josh Allen and Travon Walker, two rushers coming off the edge who combined for 27.5 sacks in 2023.