<p>JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville declined to pick up the fifth-year option in defensive tackle Taven Bryan’s rookie contract, meaning 2021 likely will be his final year with the Jaguars.</p>
<p>NFL teams had until Monday to decide whether to exercise fifth-year options on 2018 first-round picks.</p>
<p>The 29th overall selection from Florida that year, Bryan has played in every game in three seasons. But he has just 11 tackles for loss, including 3 1/2 sacks. He finished with a career-low 18 tackles and half a sack in 2020 while counting $2.77 million against salary cap.</p>
<p>He would have cost the Jaguars $7.68 million in 2022, assuming he made the team.</p>
<p>Jacksonville chose USC’s Jay Tufele to open the fourth round of the draft Saturday and signed fellow defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris to a three-year, $23.4 million deal in free agency. Despite those moves, first-year Jaguars coach Urban Meyer said the team was not considering parting ways with Bryan.</p>
<p>“We want him here,” said Meyer, who’s been adamant that it’s up to coaches to get more from underperforming players.</p>
<p>Bryan is scheduled to count $3.23 million against the salary cap in 2021. He would still cost the Jags $2.07 million if they cut him and $1.37 million if they trade him.</p>
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