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Jaguars free agency: What does Red Bryant mean for Tyson Alualu?

With the Jaguars signing Red Bryant in free agency, what does that mean for the future of Tyson Alualu?

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to a four-year deal with free agent defensive lineman Red Bryant on Saturday, a move that was an easy connection to make because of his past work with both Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley and defensive line coach Todd Wash.

With the move however, it's lead to a lot of people to ask what the future of Tyson Alualu is, as Bryant plays the same position and role in the Jaguars defensive scheme. Both play the five-technique defensive end role, which is primarily a run stopping position that sets the edge on the strong side of the defensive line.

Personally, I don't think Alualu will be released anytime soon and if it comes, will likely be in training camp. He's not due a roster bonus and his cap figure for 2014 is $4 million, but if he's released the team will still have to eat $3 million in dead money and only save $1 million on the cap. But then again, we still have actual free agency and the NFL draft ahead, so it's still possible, though I feel is unlikely.

Rather than saving $1 million, it would likely better serve the Jaguars to let the 26-year old defensive lineman finish out his rookie contract and rotate with Bryant on the field, allowing both to stay more fresh on game day. Alualu played the third most overall snaps on the defensive line last season and it wasn't really until later on in the year that he began to get a breather in games. Coincidentally, Alualu had a better second half of the season than he did early on.

While Bryant and Alualu are defensive ends, neither is going to bring much of a pass rush nor would they be expected to in the current defensive scheme.