NFL Trade Deadline: Jaguars Bolster OL Depth, Don't Find Pass-Rush Help

The 2023 NFL Trade Deadline has officially passed.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were buyers at the deadline, trading a 2024 sixth-round pick that they obtained last year for Laviska Shenault to the Minnesota Vikings for left guard Ezra Cleveland.

But with the Jaguars already giving up one pick for Cleveland, the chances of them making a second move on Tuesday were always next to none, even for a pass-rusher. The Jaguars, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, explored the pass-rusher market but ultimately did not find a deal they were comfortable with making.

With a front office that places a premium on draft picks (look at their stockpiling of picks during the 2023 NFL Draft for example), the Jaguars were always going to make just one trade. That trade ended up being for an interior offensive lineman as opposed to the likes of Chase Young, Danielle Hunter, or Josh Uche.

"You look and see if there’s a player that could help you, I don’t think you go searching just to search for anybody. You got to make sure it’s the right fit," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Monday.

"Somebody that can add value and a piece that you’re maybe missing. We are getting some guys healthy and back too, so that plays a factor in it here in the next few weeks. We’ll take a look and if it’s a no-brainer, you pull the trigger, if not, you move on with guys you have because they’re the ones that got you here.”

Now, the Jaguars are slated to enter the second-half of the season with a pass-rush unit that starts with Josh Allen and Travon Walker and is then reinforced by backups Dawuane Smoot, K'Lavon Chaisson, and rookie pass-rusher Yasir Abdullah.

On the flip side, the Jaguars have found a potential starting left-guard as they make a playoff push, strengthening a unit that at times has hindered the offense.