5 Observations From Day 1 of Legal Tampering Period: Jaguars Sit Out of Tight End Sweepstakes
Despite Monday being one of the wildest NFL news days in recent memory thanks to a number of blockbuster trades, the Jacksonville Jaguars had a relatively start to the two-day legal tampering period.
For the first time since general manager Dave Caldwell's first offseason in 2013, the Jaguars stayed on the sidelines while other teams threw giant contracts to the direction of the top free agents. This was a relatively new strategy for the Jaguars considering they have typically always made one free agent splash under Caldwell, but it isn't too surprising considering the team's current direction.
But despite the Jaguars not making any deals in the first unofficial day of free agency, there are still takeaways to gather from the moves the Jaguars didn't make, as well as ones they could potentially make in the coming days.
The Jaguars will sign free agents. That isn't a question or a prediction; it is a fact. Who they sign is a much murkier situation to decipher, but Monday gave us a glimpse into how they see this year's market and more.
So, here are our five Jaguars-related observations from Monday's legal tampering period, and what it could mean moving forward.
1) The Jaguars didn't want to spend big resources on a tight end
Two tight ends found their ways to new teams on Monday but the Jaguars decided to sit out of the tight end sweepstakes, a move that may have surprised some due to the massive need on the roster for a veteran at the position. Two tight ends who have been frequently connected to the Jaguars, Austin Hooper and Hayden Hurst, were each acquired, but it took considerable resources to their new teams to land them, something the Jaguars clearly weren't willing to agree to do.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Cleveland Browns will be handing Hooper the largest contract among all NFL tight ends, giving him a four-year deal that has an annual salary of $10.5 million. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons sent a premium pick to the Baltimore Ravens for Hurst by giving up a 2020 second-round selection, along with a 2020 fifth-round pick.
Each of these additions were major investments considering the draft capital and financial commitments involved. The Jaguars clearly need to upgrade tight end, but they had the ammo to make either one of these moves if they wanted to. Instead, it seems like they simply didn't want to break the bank or lose one of their most valuable picks to add a tight end.
2) Nose tackle market is still strong and deserves heavy consideration
The nose tackle position was one of the stronger groups on this year's free agency market entering the offseason, and there wasn't much movement at the position on Monday. Talented nose tackle Javon Hargrave signed a three-year, $39 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, but that was the only major addition.
With the market still having nose tackles such as D.J. Reader, Andrew Billings, Damon Harrison, Linval Joseph, and Quenton Jefferson, the Jaguars have plenty of options to add to the position. Jacksonville has a serious hole in the middle of their defensive line following the decline of Marcell Dareus' 2020 team option, so it would make sense for the Jaguars to pursue one of the above players. It would give them flexibility on draft day, while filling perhaps the defense's biggest need. As free agency continues, the Jaguars would be wise to continue to monitor and consider the available nose tackles.
3) Jaguars stand pat on adding linebacker depth, but options remain
Some of the mid-tier linebackers in this year's group are already off the board, with Blake Martinez signing with the New York Giants, Nick Kwiatkoski heading to the Las Vegas Raiders, and Christian Kirksey on his way to the Green Bay Packers. Despite this, the Jaguars still have a few intriguing options as free agency moves forward.
Arguably the two best linebackers on the market, Cory Littleton and Joe Schobert, have yet to be truly connected to any team. The Jaguars need a versatile inside linebacker, and each of these two ascending players would fit the bill. Aside from them, players like Nigel Bradham and Mychal Kendricks are still available. Jacksonville needs a veteran prescence in the middle of their defense, and luckily for them there are still options on the table after the first day of free agency.
4) Nick Foles' name continues to pop up in conversations, a small early win for the Jaguars
It has been presumed for much of the offseason that the Jaguars would consider trading veteran quarterback Nick Foles due to the team's cap issues and his massive contract. These flames were stoked even more on Monday when multiple reports indicated the Chicago Bears were interested in dealing for the former Super Bowl MVP.
While it is unclear if the Jaguars will actually be able to trade Foles or not, the fact that his name is at least featured in conversations is good news for Jacksonville. There was the possibility that the Jaguars would be unable to move Foles due to his contract and a bloated free agent quarterback market, which also included trade candidates like Andy Dalton and Cam Newton, but there is at least some traction. Where there is smoke, there is fire, and this is a win for the Jaguars.
5) Texans and Vikings gave Jaguars a masterclass in how and how not to deal with a disgruntled player who wants out
The Jaguars have already made out well when they had to deal with one highly disgruntled player, ending up with two first-round picks in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey last October. Now they have another one they will potentially have to manage in defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.
Yesterday, two other teams dealt with similar issues and decided to trade the players whose relationships with their teams had become fractured, but the Jaguars should only follow one example as it pertains to Ngakoue. The Houston Texans' relationship with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins fell apart, resulting in the Texans deciding to take a minimal return for Hopkins' immense talent, gaining only a 2020 second-rounder, a 2021 fourth-rounder, and the often injured and highly-paid David Johnson.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings have dealt with Stefon Diggs discontent for almost two years but still managed to get a massive haul for the disgruntled wide receiver. After Diggs continued to try to force his way out of Minnesota on Monday, the team finally dealt him, trading him to the Buffalo Bills for a 2020 first-rounder , 2020 fifth-rounder, 2020 sixth-rounder, and a 2021 fourth-round selection.
The Texans seemingly wanted out of the relationship with Hopkins and took a bad deal to simply get it over with. Meanwhile, the Vikings only dealt Diggs for proper value, not rushing to trade him despite having the chance to do so repeatedly over recent months. If the Jaguars trade Ngakoue, they will need to follow the Vikings' example to ensure they get the proper value.
