Should the Jaguars Consider Signing James Bradberry?
Amid trade rumors and speculation on his future, the Giants decided to cut bait with cornerback James Bradberry -- a move that will create $10.1 million in cap savings while leaving $11.7 million in dead money per Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
Bradberry is coming off a down 2021 campaign in which he struggled in man coverage but was still effective in zone. New Giants defensive coordinator Don Martindale utilizes a heavy man-coverage defense, which deemed Bradberry expendable. Despite the down campaign, Bradberry was still able to record four interceptions, 17 defended passes and 47 total tackles.
2020 was the year we saw Bradberry at his peak. His 79.8 PFF grade was among the highest in the NFL for defensive backs and he recorded three interceptions, 48 tackles, and 18 defended passes on 78 targets. Being only 28 years old and not far removed from this caliber of play an argument can be made that a return to form is entirely possible in the right scheme.
But despite the positives that come with a player of Bradberry’s pedigree it is still highly unlikely that the Jags would be a suitor for him on the free-agent market as they have invested heavily into the cornerback position over the last two seasons and have three quality starters in Shaq Griffin, Darious Williams, and 2021 second-round pick Tyson Campbell.
Williams signed a three-year $39 million contract with $18 million guaranteed this offseason. The 29-year-old former Ram recorded a career-high four interceptions and 14 defended passes in 16 games last season, proving to be a reliable playmaker in a highly touted Rams secondary. Williams also started every single playoff game for the Rams and was an important piece to their championship run by consistently taking away opposing scoring opportunities.
Griffin is entering year two of a three-year pact he signed in the 2020 offseason for $44.5 million. In 14 games last year Griffin recorded 48 total tackles, 7 defended passes, and no interceptions, emerging as the number one corner in a Jags secondary that desperately needed someone to come in and contribute.
Campbell had a solid rookie campaign with 73 total tackles, 10 defended passes and two interceptions in 15 games. Campbell’s tackling ability is above average for a defensive back but he struggled to consistently make plays on the ball last season and needs to improve in that area in order to take the next step. His development is especially important because of the CJ Henderson trade and the premium draft pick that was used on him.
Despite the appeal of a talent like Bradberry it is highly unlikely that the Jags pursue him because of the amount of capital that the team has invested in the defensive backs throughout the last two seasons. The trio of Williams, Campbell, and Griffin count for $30 million of the team's salary cap and are expected to help improve a Jags secondary that ranked among the league’s worst in 2021.
With those three and the additions of Gregory Junior and Montaric Brown in the 2022 Draft, there simply isn’t enough room in this secondary for Bradberry.
