Should the Jaguars Be Buyers or Sellers at the Trade Deadline?
Once the clock strikes 4 p.m. on Oct. 29, NFL teams will no longer be able to wheel and deal in attempts to improve either their current roster or their future barrage of draft picks.
The 3-4 Jacksonville Jaguars have already been active on the trading block this season thanks to two trades since Week 1. Jacksonville first dealt a fifth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for backup quarterback Josh Dobbs after starting quarterback Nick Foles going down with a clavicle injury in Week 1.
And then last Tuesday, Jacksonville facilitated the largest blockbuster trade of the season thus far when they traded All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams for three draft picks, including two first-round draft picks over the next two drafts.
With Jacksonville already active on the trade market this season, should we expect them to make another move at the deadline? After all, they have done so in each of the last two seasons.
They traded with the Buffalo Bills for defensive tackle Marcell Dareus at the 2017 deadline and shipped Dante Fowler off to the Rams at the 2018 deadline. If anything, their front office has shown a tendency for shaking up the roster.
The Jaguars are also loaded with draft picks over the next two seasons, in large part due to the Ramsey trade. They have 18 draft picks combined for the 2020 and 2021 NFL draft, making it feasible for them to make a move but still have enough ammo for draft day.
So, will the Jaguars be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline? Let's look at a few players and scenarios and examine:
Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue
Fourth-year pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue is in the final year of his rookie contract after he and the Jaguars' front office failed to agree to a new deal before the season started, leading some to speculate that Ngakoue might not be in the team's long-term plans. To add fuel to this fire, there have been reports this week that interested parties like the Baltimore Ravens have called Jacksonville about their talented veteran.
But while teams may have called Jacksonville about Ngakoue, who has two sacks in 2019, that does not mean he is available. And frankly, nor should he be.
Ngakoue has not lit up the stat sheet this season largely due to a hamstring injury that hampered him for the first five weeks, but he has still been a disruptive presence alongside Calais Campbell and Josh Allen. He has two sacks and nine pressures in six games this year and has been productive since he stepped foot in Jacksonville, notching 31.5 sacks in 54 career games.
Ngakoue has not been quiet about his desire for a new contract after he has outplayed his rookie deal. He was offered an undisclosed amount by the team this offseason but rejected the offer and has instead opted to show Jacksonville that he is deserving of a larger deal via his 2019 play.
“He decided that he didn’t want to take the offer that the Jaguars gave him so he’s going to come in and do the best he can to get the offer that he wants.”
Teams will, and should, call about Ngakoue because he can aid any defense that needs an injection of pass rush heading into the second half of the season. But Jacksonville has no real incentive to deal Ngakoue unless they have zero interest in resigning him.
Dealing yet another uber-productive defender from the team's 2016 draft class instead of keeping him in the long-term plans would be a curious move. Instead, the Jaguars should work out a new deal with Ngakoue or place the franchise tag on him in the offseason to ensure he is in Jacksonville in 2020.
Verdict: Don't sell.
New York Jets Defensive lineman Leonard Willaims
Jacksonville had their chance to draft fifth-year defensive lineman Leonard Williams in 2015 when they had the third overall pick. Instead, they opted to draft Fowler, who had a disappointing tenure in Jacksonville, and Williams went sixth overall to the Jets.
The Jaguars could have a second crack at obtaining Williams at the trade deadline. The 6'5", 303 lb interior lineman has 17 sacks and 32 tackles for losses in 70 career games, though he has come away empty in both statistics thus far in 2019.
The Jets drafting Quinnen Williams with the third pick of the 2019 NFL Draft indicated the writing was on the wall for Leonard Williams' departure, considering he is in the final year of his contract and is now a bit redundant in the Jets' long-term plans.
With Jacksonville missing a starting defensive tackle over the next 4-6 weeks following Marcell Dareus undergoing surgery, the Jaguars could have a place for Williams in the lineup.
The only true downside to dealing for Williams is the fact that you are giving up draft capital for a player that you will have to pay after the season anyway. Getting him in the locker room during the season could make those contract talks smoother, but you are essentially trading away draft picks off of the hope that he plays well enough over the next eight games to warrant a new deal.
Verdict: Buy, with caution.
Miami Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake:
Kenyan Drake, a fourth-year back out of Alabama, has an enticing skill set as a change of pace back and receiver out of the backfield. Even more enticing for teams is the fact that the Miami Dolphins are in the midst of a full-blown fire sale during a tanking season, as they have already traded talented players such as wide receiver Kenny Stills, defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick and left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
But much like Leonard Williams, Drake is a player that would strictly be a rental since he is in the last year of his deal. It is unlikely the Dolphins will place a high price tag on Drake, but it still has to be factored in that Drake would need a new contract if a team wants him to be anymore more than an eight-game rental.
Drake would fit with what Jacksonville likes to do on offense due to their heavy emphasis on zone runs and involving the running backs in the passing game. But how much would it be worth to trade for a running back when Jacksonville seems determined to have Leonard Fournette be their bell cow back who plays the vast majority of each game?
Drake is a solid player who is currently in a bad situation and while he could provide a new element to the Jacksonville offense, it is unlikely that it would be worth giving up any draft capital for him.
Verdict: Don't buy.
As for other positions, the Jaguars could look into the tight end market (Tyler Eifert) or ask around about cornerbacks (Chris Harris Jr.), but the team likes the young players they currently have on the roster at those spots.
Another player who some have speculated could find his way out of Jacksonville via trade over the next few days is Andrew Norwell, but it is highly unlikely that materializes into any real trade. The Jaguars are higher on his play at left guard than most fans are, and he is really the only true option at the position on the roster.
What other players do you think the Jaguars should consider trading off of their roster or obtaining on the trade market? Let us know in the comments below:
