5 Cornerbacks Who Make Sense for the Jaguars to Consider in Free Agency
With most of the talk surrounding the downfalls of the Jacksonville Jaguars' defense in 2019 focusing on the defense's complete inability to stop the run, one position which has gone somewhat underlooked is cornerback.
Jacksonville had solid cornerback play in 2019 with all things considered, but the team clearly lost some of its playmaking ability in the secondary following the Jalen Ramsey debacle. After Ramsey's toxic relationship with the Jaguars reached its boiling point, Jacksonville traded the All-Pro cornerback to the Los Angeles Rams for a pair of first-round draft picks in October.
Without Ramsey, the Jaguars no longer had to deal with high-profile public disgruntlement, but they also no longer had one of the top talents in the entire NFL roaming the secondary. While the drama lessened with Ramsey ousted, so did the Jaguars' secondary's ability to make plays.
Veteran cornerback A.J. Bouye slid into Ramsey's role as the defender the Jaguars tasked with shadowing the No. 1 wide receiver each week, while second-year corner Tre Herndon stepped into the No. 2 cornerback role.
Bouye and Herndon each had solid seasons given the situation — neither was incredible, but neither were amongst the Jaguars' primary issues on defense. Bouye had a few weeks of his best play in two seasons, while Herndon recorded three interceptions in his first year as a starter.
Jacksonville's slot cornerback position was also locked down for the foreseeable future, with veteran cornerback D.J. Hayden having one of the best seasons of any slot cornerback. As a core group of cornerbacks, teams can, and have, done a lot worse.
But even with these three, Jacksonville's secondary has undergone major changes since it helped push the Jaguars to a 10-6 record and an AFC Championship appearance in 2017. If the Jaguars were to invest in the secondary with some of its resources this offseason in hopes of getting it back on track to where it was a few years ago, it would be hard to blame them.
If the Jaguars were to invest in the secondary once free agency begins in March, are there veterans who could catch Jacksonville's eyes? Luckily for the Jaguars, there are more than a few who would make sense for the Jaguars to consider.
Jimmy Smith
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith will be 32 when the 2020 season begins, so he is the elder veteran option on the list. The 2011 first-round pick played in only 21 games since 2018, but has allowed a completion percentage of 56% or better in each of the last two seasons. He isn't the player he was in 2015, when he recorded three interceptions and 10 pass deflections, but he still played at a high level when healthy in 2019, helping transform the Ravens' secondary in the second half of last season. Baltimore wants him back, but he could be a good addition for the Jaguars as the new veteran leader of the secondary.
Bradley Roby
A 2014 first-round pick to the Denver Broncos, Bradley Roby's career has ebbed and flowed in recent years. After becoming a vital part of the Broncos' Super Bowl defense in 2015, Roby, who will be 28 during the 2020 season, took his talents to Houston in 2019 and appeared in 10 games for the Texans. He hasn't played to his 2015 level in a few years, but he still recorded two interceptions, a forced fumble, and one pick-six in limited action in Houston. He has recorded an interception and a forced fumble in every season of his career, making him a natural ball-magnet. He wouldn't transform the Jaguars' defense, but he would provide some playmaking ability at what will likely be a reasonable cost.
Eli Apple
Another former first-round pick, Eli Apple didn't have as strong of a year in 2019 as he did in 2018, but he is still a technically sound cornerback who can start for a defense. After flaming out with the New York Giants, Apple, who will be 25 when next season starts, rejuvenated himself with the New Orleans Saints two years ago. On the season, he allowed a 48.3% completion percentage and only 7.4 yards per target in coverage, per Pro Football Reference. Apple's numbers dipped some in 2019, but he started 15 games for one of the league's top secondaries and proved his poor play from New York is behind him.
Ross Cockrell
A versatile veteran cornerback who has experience at both the outside and at safety, Ross Cockrell makes sense for a team wanting to add depth without breaking the bank. With the Carolina Panthers in 2019, Cockrell recorded two interceptions and eight pass deflections. He also allowed only a 55.2% completion rate and 6.7 yards per target in coverage. He isn't a premier talent by any means, but he is a serviceable player who could be an underrated signing somewhere.
Jason Verrett
If the Jaguars want to take a look at a cheap option that could potentially pay off, then San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jason Verrett would make a lot of sense. Verrett, a 2014 first-round pick by the Chargers, flashed the talent to potentially become one of the NFL's top cornerbacks early on in his career, but injuries have completely derailed his career. He has only played in more than six games in a season once, and has played in only 26 career games due to a variety of injuries. After getting a second chance with the 49ers in 2019, Verrett flashed early on but once again had a season ended by injury, being sidelined in October with an ankle injury. Verrett needs to prove the injuries are behind him but if he does, then maybe he can show he still has a lot of the traits that made him one of the NFL's top young cornerbacks a few years ago.