Cooper Hodges

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Jaguars secured decent value with Cooper Hodges' four-year, $3.9M deal, landing what amounts to a fair contract for developmental offensive line depth. At just $1M annually with minimal guaranteed money, Jacksonville is essentially buying a lottery ticket on a young tackle's upside without meaningful financial risk. The contract structure heavily favors the team — with only $100K guaranteed, they can cut bait at any point if Hodges doesn't develop into a reliable backup or eventual starter. This C+ CVI reflects the modest investment matching realistic expectations for an unproven tackle who projects as organizational depth rather than immediate impact. For a franchise still building its offensive line foundation, locking up potential swing tackle insurance at bargain rates represents smart roster construction, even if Hodges never develops beyond a practice squad contributor.

Performance Analysis

Cooper Hodges exits Jacksonville as one of the more forgettable seventh-round gambles of the 2023 draft class, a replacement-level offensive tackle who never carved out a meaningful role across two seasons with the Jaguars. Appearing in just nine games over his career, Hodges never accumulated the kind of consistent snap share that separates a developmental prospect from a roster body, and his performance grade reflects a player who simply could not clear the bar for a legitimate NFL rotation spot. The data offers no standout statistical strength to point to, which is itself the story — two seasons in, a lineman at 25 years old should at least be establishing a case for a starting role or reliable backup designation, and Hodges never mounted that argument. His release was folded into the roster shuffle surrounding Jacksonville's trade for defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro, which tells you everything about how the front office viewed his value: an afterthought in a transaction footnote. The media framing around the cut has been blunt, with several outlets characterizing it as another talent evaluation miss under the previous regime, and the fan base barely registered the move amid excitement over the team's defensive upgrades. At 25, Hodges is young enough to catch on elsewhere as a waiver wire flier, but his two-year tenure in Jacksonville produced nothing to suggest he is anything beyond roster filler at the NFL level.

Fan Sentiment

A roster-trimming cut of marginal value, directly linked to Jacksonville's Ruke Orhorhoro trade. Multiple headlines confirm this move was transactional, clearing a spot rather than reflecting poor performance. Hodges spent time on PUP, signaling his availability was already limited for the Jaguars. Fans view this as pure housekeeping, with attention focused on the incoming defensive trade instead. Jacksonville's offensive line depth now depends on internal options as they pivot toward defensive reinforcement.