3 Hypothetical Jaguars Trade Scenarios Ahead of the Deadline
The 2020 NFL trade deadline is just a few weeks away. Each year, the league prepares to see teams rearrange and reinvent themselves, though each year the trade deadline is normally seen as a bit of a disappointment in terms of major moves.
With that said, there are still a few scenarios we think make sense for the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the Nov. 3 trade deadline. Even with the Jaguars sitting at 1-5 and needing to focus on the future instead of the present, there are still some moves the Jaguars can make to improve the team moving forward.
So, which scenarios would make sense for the Jaguars to engage in ahead of the trade deadline? We look at three hypotheticals below that we think makes sense for all parties involved.
WR Dede Westbrook to Green Bay Packers for a 2021 7th-round pick
Dede Westbrook has failed to get on the field for the Jaguars this season. The fourth-year receiver has played 16 snaps all season, recording one catch for four yards. The only game he has been active for was in Week 3 when DJ Chark was out with a back/chest injury. Simply put, the Jaguars have made it clear that they prefer what they get from Chris Conley and Collin Johnson than Westbrook, a former 2017 fourth-round draft pick.
With Westbrook unable to find playing time, and with Terry Godwin waiting in the wings to be Jacksonville's No. 6 receiver, the Jaguars can afford to move on from Westbrook for draft capital ahead of his contract expiring. The team that makes the most sense for Westbrook is the Green Bay Packers, who have little at receiver outside of Davante Adams, especially with Allen Lazard hurt. It isn't a great return on investment for a former fourth-round pick, but it is obvious he won't be in Jacksonville next season. For the Packers, getting a player with 160 career catches for 1,720 yards and nine touchdowns for a seventh-round pick is a justifiable move.
A 2021 5th-round pick to New York Jets for TE Chris Herndon and a 2021 6th-round pick
The Jaguars entered this season with high expectations for the tight end position, but it hasn't materialized for several reasons. Josh Oliver broke a bone in his foot in training camp, ending his second season before it even began. Rookie sixth-rounder Tyler Davis looks a bit in over his head, while James O'Shaughnessy and Tyler Eifert have combined for 23 catches for 208 yards and one touchdown on 38 targets. Eifert has also battled with some injuries over the last few weeks.
Considering Jacksonville's need for a tight end in both the present and the future, they should consider making a move for New York Jets tight end Chris Herndon. Herndon was a star in training camp this season but has done virtually nothing in the inept Jets offense this year, catching 13 passes for 98 yards in six games. He didn't see a single target in Week 6 against the Dolphins and it just appears as if he isn't going to get anything going in Adam Gase's offense.
The Jaguars have said themselves they were high on Herndon during the 2018 NFL Draft, but they were unable to select him by the time the Jets selected him in the fourth round. The Jaguars aren't in a position to give up picks, so a pick swap that lets the Jets move up a round while also not losing any picks for Jacksonville is a logical move for each side.
DT Taven Bryan to New England Patriots for a 2021 5th-round pick and a 2022 7th-round Pick
Traditionally, trading with the New England Patriots is a bad idea. It almost always works out for the Patriots and blows up in the face of the opposite team. With that said, the Jaguars and New England striking a deal for former first-round defensive tackle Taven Bryan makes sense for both sides. For the Jaguars it is time to move on from a first-round failure, while for the Patriots they can improve their depth up front with a player that NFL coaches and players appear to be higher on than most analysts.
The Patriots need to inject some young talent into their interior defensive line. Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler and Byron Cowart have been unable to produce much disruption for the Patriots' defensive front. Meanwhile, Bryan has continued to be a disappointment for the Jaguars in 2020, whether or not they want to admit it. This year, Bryan has recorded seven tackles and two tackles for loss, while grading as Pro Football Focus' 104th ranked defensive tackle out of 118 players this season.
Bryan doesn't have a ton of trade value since he has just three career sacks and 10 tackles for loss, but he could potentially fetch a fifth-round pick since he is a player who the league seems to like more than those on the outside. Throw in a future seventh and the Jaguars should feel comfortable with moving on from the former first-round pick.
