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Jaguars DL Arik Armstead excited to take team to new heights, learn city and teammates
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- Jaguars DL Arik Armstead excited to take team to new heights, learn city and teammates
It's a full-circle moment for Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead .
After being drafted by then-San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Armstead jumped on the opportunity to rejoin the GM at his new place of employment in Jacksonville when he became a free agent "late" into the new league year.
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The 49ers released Armstead at the start of the new league year March 13 because of salary-cap reasons after dedicating nine years to the club.
It didn't take long for him to find a new place to play football, though, and Armstead felt like he could welcome a fresh start on the other side of the United States after talking with a few teams.
But now, back with Baalke again, Armstead feels at home.
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"I felt like this was the best decision for me and my family. I'm very excited to get it going," Armstead told members of the local media via Zoom on Monday. When asked about Baalke, Armstead said the two have had a great relationship for years, talking before pre-game at times when the Jaguars played the 49ers.
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"We would talk and the sentiment of how proud he was of me and how my career has gone," Armstead said of Baalke. "He felt like he made a good decision then and he feels like he's making a good decision now. Having that someone that you're comfortable with and that you've been around is going to make this transition much smoother."
Armstead re-joins Baalke a bit older, 30, and more polished. He is currently recovering from offseason meniscus surgery, and said he should be back "very soon."
"I'm excited about that. I'm on a very good road to recovery, so I plan on being back to football fulltime very soon when my team needs me," said Armstead.
Jaguars fit what Armstead was looking for in free agency
Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson (25) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) and defensive end Arik Armstead (91) during the second quarter at TIAA Bank Field Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the San Francisco 49ers during a regular season NFL game. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Armstead became a free agent for the first time in his career last week, adding to the pressure of deciding where he wanted to call his new home.
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According to the 6-foot-7 defensive lineman, he had only a few criteria.
Armstead wanted to play somewhere he could:
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Feel comfortable and valued as a player.
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Continue to grow and learn.
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Join a competitive franchise with the ability to get them over the hump.
To Armstead, the Jaguars checked all of those boxes.
"The Jaguars were a good team before me and whenever I enter a situation, not just in football but in life in general, when I'm meeting people and when I'm entering situations working with people, I want to make the place better than when I found it," Armstead said. "I want to [have] a positive impact. I think this team was already already a phenomenal team and I think I can help them get to the next level."
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Of course, money was a factor, too.
According to reports, Armstead is set to be paid $51 million over three years, roughly the same average annual value of his contract with the 49ers, $17 million per year.
When asked about his financial situation, Armstead conceded, as anyone would, that money played a role in his decision to come to Jacksonville.
Still, he says, the situation also has to be right.
"It's a big deal but it's not the only deal. You don't want to be in a bad situation where you're miserable and unhappy," said Armstead.
Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, Arik Armstead plans to continue efforts in Jacksonville
September 21, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead (91) before the game against the New York Giants at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Though it's often understated, a player signing somewhere can pay massive dividends to that particular city.
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In Jacksonville's case, the city is getting a player who believes strongly in charitable efforts, particularly when it comes to schooling and education.
Armstead was the 49ers' Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee four years in a row. His non-profit, the Armstead Academic Project, helps ensure that "every student, no matter their socioeconomic status, has direct access to the resources they need to thrive. The Armstead Academic Project provides youth with positive spaces, tools, and academic support to unlock their potential and achieve their goals," the foundation's website reads .
Armstead said he plans to learn more about the city and see where his non-profit can best serve the community.
"I'm excited to get to know the people there. My nonprofit is education-based, which is across the globe. I'm sure there's education inequities in Jacksonville as well too, that I'm excited to explore more and really see how I can be a huge impact in Jacksonville as well too," he said.
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Armstead said he started working with local communities during his rookie season in 2015 by starting a free football camp. Then he branched out further to where he is today.
"As a kid, we used to do stuff like this all the time. It's just in me and always will be," he said.
Jaguars will get plenty out of Armstead on the field, in the locker room
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 12: Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates a sack by Javon Hargrave #98 of the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Of course, where Armstead will be valued the most by Jaguars' coaches and the franchise's front office, will be on the field and in the team's locker room.
Throughout his nine-year career, Armstead has accounted for 33.5 sacks, 177 solo tackles, 88 quarterback hits and 43 tackles for loss.
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Though he's played plenty of football and is just one year younger than now-retired future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald , Armstead feels he still has "five or six more years" in him and he doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon, he said.
For at least a couple of seasons with Jacksonville, Armstead will no doubt be tasked with helping the development of the team's youngest stars, outside linebackers Josh Allen and Travon Walker , who combined last year for 27.5 sacks. Armstead says he has already spoken with both players and looks forward to helping everyone on the defensive line out this year.
"I think it's important, especially being in the league this long that no one can do it on their own. I've seen a lot of situations where you don't get the full potential out of guys because they're not surrounded by other great players as well too. I'm excited to take the field with those guys and learn this new defense together and start that journey," Armstead said about not only Allen and Walker, but the rest of the team's defensive line.
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The Jaguars' new defense will be called by defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who Armstead has already studied a bit, per his Instagram.
"I feel that it's tailormade for the defensive line," Armstead said of Nielsen's defense. "Coach Nielsen being a former defensive lineman himself, I feel that I could play a multitude of roles in it. From lining up on the edge and playing the run to moving into the inside of the pass rusher. I'm excited to see how the plans are and how they plan on using me."
In addition to helping the team on the field, Armstead will likely fill a void in the locker room thanks to his leadership ability. He said Monday the team spoke with him about helping the team in that department, too.
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"We had conversations about that and I'm sure the Jags and other teams saw that as well. Teams are always trying to get a winning culture in the building and guys that have had success and know what it looks like," said Armstead.
"That definitely is part of it and that's something I look forward to entering year 10, I feel like I have a lot to offer to my teammates, not just from a football perspective or not just what I do on the field but being able to share the knowledge of different situations I've been through in this league."
Armstead has been through plenty during his nine years in the league. He's played in 12 playoff games since the 2019 season, including two Super Bowls (2019 and 2023). He's accounted for eight sacks through those games, including one in the Super Bowl last year.
Armstead has played in 116 regular-season games, which is more than most players on the team. He's been voted a team captain four times and there's no doubt he can influence a locker room positively.
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"This team has Super Bowl aspirations and when we get there, I've already been through that, and I know what it's going to look like and what to expect," said Armstead.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Arik Armstead breaks down why he chose Jaguars, impact he can leave
