MVN - Most Valuable Network

Jaguars must weigh ALL options to fix what ails them

It is simple enough to say that the top priority for the Jaguars as they look at the draft a month from now is fixing their pass rush.  Anyone that has even a vague familiarity with the team can see that this is indeed one of the most glaring needs that the team has ever had to deal with.  Coming up with a solution to the problem, either in free agency, by trade, or through the draft, has proven to be somewhat of a prickly situation for the Jags as they continue to work through their roster.  Most of the best options available to the Jaguars are either out of reach completely, or would be too prohibitive from a cost perspective to be worth the effort.

Much of the speculation in the media has been focused no the Jaguars trading for a veteran defensive end.  The option is certainly available to the team if they are willing to pony up a couple of significant draft picks to bring in an aging star like Jason Taylor.  They could offer up those same draft picks for Carolina’s Julius Peppers and gamble on the fact that his dramatic drop off statistically in 2007 was just the result of an entire team struggling, and not an omen of things to come for him.

The Jaguars might even consider bundling up their picks in hopes of getting high enough in the draft to land one of the top flight defensive ends that are expected to be gone by pick 15.  In looking at the draft value boards, and making note of what it would take to move up in the draft, all the Jaguars would have to do to get to 14 in the draft would be to give up their first, second, and fourth round picks to get into the top half of the first round.  That certainly seems simple enough.

One thing that is rarely spoken of, but is more than likely being discussed behind the super secret locked doors of the Jaguars war room, is the potential that the team could trade away a combination of draft picks and players in order to sweeten the pot a bit depending on the approach that the Jaguars decide to employ.

It has been reported that Miami is looking for a second and fourth round pick for any team interested in trading for Jason Taylor.  The concern is that the value is not there because Taylor is a 33 year old veteran.  At best, he may only have two or three years left in the tank to offer a team.  Giving up prime draft picks that could be cornerstone players for the next half decade or more makes that cost too high for a team that has to rely on the draft to manage their salary cap.

The Jaguars best option for trading, whether it is to move up in a round, or to grab a veteran player from another roster, would be to bundle picks and players.  There are players on the roster that could certainly be used to sweeten any trade scenario while reducing the need to give up their precious draft picks in the process.

The first player on the list would be the much maligned wide receiver, Matt Jones.  While most feel that he has been a monumental disappointment here in Jacksonville, Jones does still possess the physical and athletic abilities that landed him in the first round to begin with.  Having a contract that is the NFL equivalent to the minimum wage does not hurt his draft value either.

If the Jaguars wanted to make a serious push for one of the veteran defensive ends, they could bundle their third round pick, and Matt Jones to entice a team to move in a different direction.  With Jones, they would get an athletic specimen who is still young and full of untapped potential.  They would be able to part ways with an older veteran player while also getting a value pick with a third round selection.

If that pick is not enough to warrant consideration, the Jaguars have some younger players on their roster that might be worth a look from other teams. 

Richard Collier, a mountainous offensive tackle with the feet of a speedy linebacker is a player that the Jaguars have high hopes for despite his developmental status over the past two years.  If he can take the next step in his career progression, he could push for a starting position on this roster as early as this year.  That would give the Jaguars some flexibility to add Khalif Barnes to the mix for potential players that would have significant trade value for a team that is looking to rebuild, or desperate for offensive line help.

While the Jaguars are not a team that is loaded with star power names, they are a unit that has solid depth across the board.  This depth has been a great asset over the past few years, and it could prove to be even more of a benefit to the team this off season when the options for improving their pass rush are evaporating as quickly as they appear. 

As a nuclear option, the Jaguars might make the decision that they are willing to part ways with two first round picks to go after a franchised player like Jared Allen.  In the end, the cost is significant, but if that is truly the missing piece and the team is poised to make a title run by filling that spot on the puzzle, then pulling the trigger and offering up two first round picks will be worth the risk.

What is clear this off season is that if the Jaguars are intent on fixing their pass rush, they will have to do it by either becoming creative with their current personnel, or they will have to find innovative ways to bundle some of their talent in order to get those pieces that are missing currently.  Nothing is going to fall in their laps at this point, so being aggressive in exploring all of their options will be an absolute must for the Jaguars if they want to get to the next level.
 

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 27th, 2008 at 2:18 pm and is filed under Jaguars' Journal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.