2024 NFL Combine Rumors: What Are Scouts Saying About the Jaguars?
There is no better place or time to stoke the flames of the NFL rumor mill than at the NFL Scouting Combine.
It is the one place each year where every heavy hitter in coaching, scouting, personnel, and the sports agent industry congregate for a week-plus. It is where contracts are negotiated, trades are proposed, and futures are changed.
Jaguar Report did not attend this year's combine due to previously planned nuptials (I got married), but that doesn't mean we haven't been working the phones to find out as much as we can about what the NFL is saying about the Jaguars.
Speaking this week with three scouts who spoke to us last year in Indianapolis, we posed questions about Josh Allen, Calvin Ridley, Trent Baalke, and what the Jaguars could or should do at No. 17.
So, what is the league saying? We break it down below.
On Josh Allen
NFC Scout No. 1: "Our expectation is he will be franchise tagged. I am curious about his production blowing up in a contract year, but he is a good player. We would obviously be interested in him if he was a free agent, but we don't think it happens."
NFC Scout No. 2: "There are some people who would probably be surprised if he got a contract worth $30 million a year, but they shouldn't be. He would be able to name his price if he was a free agent and the Jaguars know it. Trent [Baalke] may not love him considering Travon Walker is his guy, but Allen has them backed into a corner."
AFC Scout: "He was the best pass-rusher on tape who we played last year. And that list includes some All-Pros and guys who make a lot more money than he does. He shouldn't make less than the guy in Chicago [Montez Sweat].
On Calvin Ridley
NFC Scout No. 1: "What is he? Is he a No. 1? Is he the inconsistent guy we faced last year? He has a lot of talent but he is getting older. It is hard to gauge how much he would make on the market, but they [Jacksonville] wouldn't have many weapons for their QB if he left. I think he stays there."
NFC Scout No. 2: "We don't think the Falcons get a second-round pick. Not many people do. He is a really good player but he has never been a consistent and dominant force in his career, so that probably won't change. They are probably better with him than without him though."
AFC Scout: "He and Lawrence started to get some chemistry later in the year. Everyone in the NFL knew he had to shake off some rust and baggage. Injuries probably made them lean on him more than they ever wanted to. He would probably get $17 million per year on the market. I think teams will try to drive his price up too. Lot of teams still upset at what the Jags did with Kirk's deal."
On Trevor Lawrence
NFC Scout No. 1: "He is a good quarterback. Is he great yet? I don't think so. He will have some games where he is locked in and can do no wrong and some games where he is playing backyard football and doesn't seem to care about the mistakes he makes."
NFC Scout No. 2: "I wouldn't pay him right now. I would make him prove it next year. His numbers look better than they should because they threw it all the time. His line and running game were bad but he should be better than he is."
AFC Scout: "He gets ragged on because of the hype and where he was picked but he is a really good player. If you take him out of that team they probably win a handful of games at most. He has some room to grow but people forget how young he is. I think he is going to be good for a long time."
On Trent Baalke
NFC Scout No. 1: "He was on top of the world a year ago. Now teams are openly saying they knew the collapse was coming. He isn't known as a guy who will blow things up so we don't think they will make a lot of changes."
NFC Scout No. 2: "He has to be aggressive this offseason but we don't know if he will be. He was a few years ago [in 2022] but that didn't seem like something he actually wanted to do. Their cap situation isn't great. They are paying a lot of average guys to be better than they are and they haven't drafted well."
AFC Scout: "Trent should be on the hot seat but he seems to never be. That team has a lot of holes this offseason even though he has been at the head of the table for a few years now. He is better than people think, but eventually you have to find better players."
On No. 17 Pick
NFC Scout No. 1: "It is no secret that they have done a lot of homework on the cornerback and defensive line class. That is where I think they will go, even though they need to protect their quarterback more."
NFC Scout No. 2: "Maybe they go with a pass-rusher and try to move on from Allen. Trent is known for having his guys and could try to find another one this year. The Penn State kid [Chop Robinson] has another gear to him."
AFC Scout: "They need to take an offensive lineman. Lawrence got beat to hell last year and they couldn't run the ball. I would take the top tackle on the board. Maybe play him inside. No interior guys are worth it there but there are a lot of tackles who can play guard."
