5 Free Agent Linebackers Who Make Sense for the Jaguars
Entering the 2020 offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars have a few glaring needs. And near the top of the list of positions the team has to invest in if they want a chance to improve upon their 6-10 record is linebacker.
Jacksonville was dealt a bad hand at the position before 2019 even started due to former star linebacker Telvin Smith stepping away from football without explanation last May. But even without Smith, the unit still had Myles Jack in his fourth season, someone the team had enough faith in that they extended him before the season began.
Despite Jack's prescence, the Jaguars' linebacker unit contributed greatly to Jacksonville's defensive failures in 2019. After allowing the second-highest yards per rush attempt average (5.1) last year, the Jaguars can't afford to look into adding a veteran linebacker to oversee the run defense this offseason.
Luckily for the Jaguars, there are a number of linebackers set to hit the market in March who would be sensible fits. We examined a few of them here:
Danny Trevathan
Chicago Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan will be 30 when the 2020 season kicks off so he isn't much of a long-term solution, but for a team who is looking for a player who can instantly step in and command the defense while providing serviceable linebacker play, he should be at or near the top of the list. He only played in nine games in 2019 due to injury, but the eight-year veteran has been a productive defender in each year he has started with the Bears and during his time in Denver (609 career tackles, 26 tackles for loss, nine sacks, eight interceptions, six forced fumbles).
Trevathan can still help a football team in 2020, and his skill set aligns perfectly with what the Jaguars need at linebacker, specifically at middle linebacker.
Cory Littleton
Los Angeles Rams linebacker Cory Littleton will likely be one of the most sought after defenders on the entire free-agent market in March and for good reason. The 26-year old linebacker has transformed himself from a special teams ace to a bonafide three-down linebacker, collecting 259 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, five interceptions, and two forced fumbles over the last two years. He has the instincts and agility to be an impactful coverage linebacker, as well as the toughness and range to make plays against the run.
He is just scratching his surface as an NFL starter, but his price will still be high. For the Jaguars, he would fill the team's large need for a third-down defender who can make plays at the intermediate level of the field.
Joe Schobert
An under the radar free agent, Cleveland Browns linebacker Joe Schobert is a capable inside linebacker with 49 career starts under his belt. The four-year veteran, who will be 26 on Week 1 in 2020, has a lot of traits that should entice the Jaguars. He is quick to diagnose plays vs. the run and has experience as the on-field commander for a variety of defensive schemes, making him easy to trust with the defensive calls and alignments.
In Schobert's four seasons in Cleveland, he recorded 408 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, six interceptions, and a staggering seven forced fumbles. Schobert has simply been a playmaker throughout his career, something Jacksonville's front seven was badly missing in 2019.
Blake Martinez
Green Bay Packers linebacker Blake Martinez had his flaws exposed in the NFC Championship Game loss vs. the San Francisco 49ers, with his lack of sideline to sideline range and ability to defend the perimeter on full display. But Martinez, 26, can still provide value to a team despite Kyle Shanahan picking on him in a huge game.
Martinez, who has started 57 games in four years in Green Bay, can specifically help defenses as a downhill thumper at inside linebacker. He has 512 tackles in his career, with 29 of those being tackles for loss, along with 10 career sacks. He has clear limitations, but he can be more of a physical prescence inside than what Jacksonville had in 2019.
De'Vondre Campbell
Playing in a similar defensive scheme in Atlanta over the past four seasons, De'Vondre Campbell led the Falcons in tackles in each of the past two seasons. Campbell has experience as both a weakside and strongside linebacker and his steady play and versatility would be a welcomed addition to the Jaguars' linebacker group.
Campbell, who will be 27 during the 2020 season, has a ton of experience (54 career starts) and has created eight takeaways in his career. He might not have the highest ceiling, but his floor is as high as anyone else's on this list.
