Since taking over as general manager for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013, David Caldwell has had a top-five pick in every draft. In all four of the previous drafts, Caldwell has chose to forgo any trades and went with his original pick. For a team lacking in talent, it’s never a bad idea to secure one of the best available players in the draft. This year, however, the situation is a little different.
Jacksonville Jaguars Should Explore Trade Options on Draft Day
Luke Joeckel, Blake Bortles, Dante Fowler Jr., and Jalen Ramsey all filled major holes in a roster lacking elite talent. This year, the only glaring need for the Jaguars is on the offensive line, where at least two positions need to be upgraded. Unfortunately for the Jaguars, there isn’t an offensive lineman worthy of the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. With that said, Jacksonville could easily pick a safety or a pass rusher, both of which could benefit the team. But is that really the best option for Caldwell, Tom Coughlin and head coach Doug Marrone?
Trade Targets
In the past, we’ve seen blockbuster trades in the top-five for premier talents, especially quarterbacks. That likely isn’t what the Jaguars can expect this year. The Jaguars are picking fourth, and there is a good chance top quarterback prospect Mitch Trubisky will be taken in the top three picks. Quarterbacks such as Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer, or Patrick Mahomes could also find themselves off the board when Jacksonville’s on the clock. The two teams picking immediately ahead of the Jaguars, San Fransisco and Chicago, are both in need of a franchise signal caller. However, that still leaves elite talent such as Leonard Fournette and Jonathan Allen on the board. It’s not hard to imagine a team envisioning one of those blue chip prospects as the missing piece from their roster.
The Jaguars may not be able to get a king’s ransom like we’ve seen in recent years, but trading down into the bottom half of the top ten or even into the teens could mean an extra second-round pick or even potentially an extra first in the 2018 NFL Draft. That would be great news for Caldwell and Coughlin, newly appointed VP of Football Operations. They would likely be in a more appropriate position to draft an offensive lineman or even another pass rusher and would acquire another top-50 prospect in the process.
Possible Scenarios
As they say, however, it takes two to tango. The Jaguars will need to find the right trade partner in order to pull off a deal. Could the Cleveland Browns be interested in trading up for blue chip running back Fournette to secure the top two non-quarterbacks in the draft? How about the San Diego Chargers. Could the idea of drafting Jonathan Allen to play next to Joey Bosa be too much to pass up? That will all become more clear after free agency and the NFL Scouting Combine, where team needs and play preferences become more evident. For the time being, the Jacksonville Jaguars should keep all of their options open.
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