2021 Free Agency: Which Seahawks Offensive Free Agents Make Sense for the Jaguars?
The Jacksonville Jaguars finally have a coaching staff for Urban Meyer's first year leading an NFL team. And of course, a new staff means new connections between the Jaguars and some of the league's top players.
Among the top names joining Meyer for the rebuild of the Jaguars is former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who will be the Jaguars' passing game coordinator in 2021.
Just as we did with Joe Cullen and Darrell Bevell, we are going to take a look at which of Schottenheimer's former players with the Seahawks would make sense for the Jaguars to pursue in free agency.
Due to his presence and role in the offense, could any Seahawks free agents join the team and make an impact? We go through each case below.
Jacob Hollister
This is the name we keep coming back to as one who makes the most sense. There is no secret the Jaguars have a major need at tight end once again following a 2020 season where their most productive player at the position recorded 36 catches for 349 yards and two touchdowns. There is no safe bet that player -- Tyler Eifert -- will be back with the Jaguars in 2021, either, so a veteran addition is needed one way or another.
Jacob Hollister spent two of his four first seasons in the NFL in Schottenheimer's offense, with his first year in Seattle being the first year he truly produced in an offense. After catching eight passes for 94 yards in two years in New England, Hollister caught 66 passes for 558 yards and three touchdowns over the last two seasons in Seattle. He did this while starting eight games and playing 46% of the snaps in 2019 and 35% of them in 2020. He knows Schottenheimer's passing scheme and produced in it to a solid level as a backup. For cheap veteran depth, he makes a lot of sense.
Mike Iupati
If the Jaguars want to bolster their offensive line with some veteran depth, Mike Iupati could potentially land on their radar thanks to his connection to Schottenheimer. Iupati, who was on a one-year, $2.5 million contract in 2020, spent the last two seasons in Seattle and started 25 games at left guard in the process.
The Jaguars are fine in terms of interior line talent, but the Jaguars are also not in a position to not find insurance options. Iupati will be entering his 12th season in 2021 and has 139 starts to his name. Factor in the fact that he is still a strong run blocker, and there is value to having him on the roster in some capacity.
Geno Smith
Whether the Jaguars should explore the possibility of signing veteran quarterback Geno Smith depends on what they opt to do with third-year quarterback Gardner Minshew. Minshew's days as a starter in Jacksonville are over, but there is a question of whether the Jaguars will keep him as their backup quarterback in 2021 or if they will gauge the trade interest in him.
If the Jaguars opt to find a more experienced backup quarterback for their future No. 1 overall pick, then Geno Smith could make sense. He played in Schottenheimer's offense last season and has 32 NFL starts to his name. He knows the role of both a backup and a starter and could bring some carryover from Seattle to make things easier for all parties, while also being a cheap option.
David Moore
A productive depth receiver for the Seahawks over the last four seasons, David Moore makes sense for the Jaguars considering his age (26) and the fact that he shouldn't be an expensive option in March. The Jaguars need to add depth at wide receiver this offseason due to the impending potential departures of Keelan Cole, Chris Conley, and Dede Westbrook, all of whom are set to be free agents in 2021 after making the team's initial roster last season.
Moore, who has experience both outside and in the slot, caught 78 passes for 1,163 yards (14.9 yards per catch) and 13 touchdowns over the last three seasons. Each of those seasons was spent with Schottenheimer leading the offense, so there is an obvious connection between the two. Add in the team need and this is a fit that works for all parties.
