2021 Free Agency: Previewing the Jaguars and the WR Position
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a lot of areas for needed improvement following the worst season in franchise history at 1-15. When you think of the most pressing needs the first things that come to mind are the defensive line, the secondary, and tight end.
Wide receiver is not one of those high-priority needs ... however, Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer is not satisfied with where that room is at right now.
“Offensively, I think we have some really good receivers,” Meyer said. “We’re not done with that room, however. If you’ve covered our teams over the years, the need for speed, the big play opportunity was not the Jaguars last year and we’re searching for the big play hit at the receiver position.”
Historically when you look at Meyer’s teams he has had at least one receiver that can flip the script at any moment. And while the Jaguars have speed and big-play potential in wide receiver D.J. Chark and Laviska Shenault Jr., Meyer wants a higher level of that -- or at the very least another guy who can do so to add to the arsenal.
With NFL free agency set to kick off at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Meyer and general manager Trent Baalke have dived into where this team is at and who they can realistically bring in to fill their holes from the open market.
“We did an end of season report and that was every coach, along with myself, did a deep [dive] into our current roster,” Meyer said. “Then from our current roster, we did about a three-week evaluation of what’s available.
“The coordinator, along with his staff, put together the top ten needs in order to be a functioning offense in the NFL. Then, Trent [Baalke], myself, and his staff are now putting it together and that’s where the term that Trent likes to use – the value. I don’t think we’re in position just because we have a lot of holes, we [were] 1-15 [in 2020]. There’s some quality players here, but there’s also a lot of holes, so that’s where we’re going to rely on Trent’s experience, and his other guys on his staff, on how much it costs.”
So, who is out there right now at wide receiver the Jaguars could bring in and fill that speed and big-play desire Meyer has?
Kenny Golladay – Detroit Lions
Golladay has a lot of desirable traits for the Jaguars, especially since they cannot physically meet and workout with any of these free agents. He has familiarity with new Jaguars offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell from his time in Detroit.
"So, you’re talking about organizational decisions made by people there’s chances we have not spent much time with them, and to be honest with you, I don’t feel great about that," Meyer said on Tuesday. "I feel great about the coaches that have done their work behind the scenes digging up or else have had previous experience with them coaching them in the room. We’re probably going to lean on [them] more in that scenario, so I’ve hired a bunch of guys from the NFL that have NFL experience. If they’ve had [experience with] them, I feel much better about someone we just don’t know.”
Along with the familiarity the Jaguars would have with him, Golladay also possesses that top-end spend Meyer loves, and at 6-foot-4 he can get up with the best of them for deep balls. In 2020 Golladay only played in five games as he dealt with a hip injury throughout the season, and that could cause some pause from the Jaguars.
However, while on the field he maintained his great play, snagging 20 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns. And the best part of that is he maintained his career yards per catch average at 16.9 yards a catch. If the Jaguars feel comfortable with his health Golladay has a lot of likable traits for what the Jaguars desire.
Will Fuller – Houston Texans
Fuller is guy hardly mentioned when you talk available receivers, but he has had a solid career and 2020 was his best season to date. In 2020 he hauled in 53 receptions for 879 yards and eight touchdowns. He, like Golladay, has a great yards per catch average at 16.6 and great speed.
Now, he does have a more storied injury history, having never played a full 16-game season along with no familiarity with any coach on staff. Not to mention a PED suspension that sidelined him at the end of last season and will make him miss the season opener in 2021.
Fuller has the traits Meyer wants and could be a cheaper option than Golladay. However, while his speed and threat to take it the distance at any time are great, they do not outweigh his injury history. He should only be considered as a backup option to bring in.
Curtis Samuel – Carolina Panthers
On the flip side of talk surrounding receivers to the Jaguars, Samuel has been one of the most discussed options. Now, is he a number one guy? No. However, he is the only top receiver available to have played under Meyer before, and that familiarity plus his versatility are incredibly enticing.
In 2020 Samuel grabbed 77 receptions for 851 yards and three receiving touchdowns to go along with 41 carries for 200 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. Anybody surpassing 1,000 total yards in a season is a gamer.
And that is probably the best word to describe him. You can line Samuel up anywhere and he will find success. Now, you might be thinking he is a clone of Shenault and while there are a lot of similarities between the two of them, Samuel is a bit quicker and more elusive.
With a few other bigger names still out there Samuel won’t garner the top-end money those bigger names will, and the Jaguars should circle his name on their board.
JuJu Smith-Schuster – Pittsburgh Steelers
Smith-Schuster is considered the top free agent receiver available following a solid 2020 season hauling in 97 catches for 831 yards and nine touchdowns. Since Antonio Brown's departure, Smith-Schuster has taken on the number one wideout burden in Pittsburgh and has done a good job of it.
However, he does not possess that top-tier speed Meyer desires. Sure he can get loose and do things with the ball in his hands, but he is more of a possession receiver, having more success in moving the ball downfield in chunks rather than taking it over the top. And at the price tag he will desire as one of, if not the number one receiver available, it doesn’t make much sense for the Jaguars to bring Smith-Schuster in.
Corey Davis – Tennessee Titans
Davis is more like Smith-Schuster when it comes to his traits as a receiver. He’s not that over-the-top deep speed threat. However, at 6-foot-3 he can go up and make some tough catches and if current wideout Keelan Cole does indeed depart Jacksonville, Davis would be an ideal fit to come in and replace him as a possession threat.
He worked extremely well opposite A.J. Brown this past season plucking 65 catches for 984 yards and five touchdowns. All were career bests for the former 2017 top-five pick.
Davis may not be on the radar as it sits currently, but the Jaguars could see the value in Davis as a potential option if they believe he will produce. In all likelihood, they would not have to break the bank for an upgrade at the number two receiver spot.
