Should the Jaguars' Week 8 Win Over the Steelers Impact Trade Deadline Plans?

Did the Jaguars see an improved pass-rush now that they have all of their available front seven pieces, and what could the answer mean for tomorrow's trade deadline?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a little under 24 hours to answer one of the most important questions of the 2023 season: does the pass-rush need help? 

With tomorrow's 4 p.m. trade deadline quickly approaching, time is running out for the Jaguars to make a move to improve the most discussed aspect of their roster. 

This leads to a question that head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke will have to answer among themselves: Did Sunday's 20-10 win over the Steelers help move them in one direction or the other? 

“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," 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.”

While one game should never influence a long-term decision for a franchise, the Jaguars are in an odd spot. The Jaguars have had just one game this year with their entire front seven healthy after DaVon Hamilton returned to the lineup in Week 8 and Dawaune Smoot returned in Week 6. 

In short, the Jaguars have only had a small, limited glimpse into what they truly have between their interior line and the likes of Smoot, Josh Allen, Travon Walker, and K'Lavon Chaisson. But in that short time, it has still become clear that the missing piece to the Jaguars' strong defense might be adding to their pass-rush -- even after a game where Walker and Allen combined for three sacks and 10 pressures.

Among 119 qualifying EDGEs, Smoot and Chaisson are each tied at No. 104 in pass-rush win-rate at 4.5%. Walker has improved in Year 2 and has already matched his rookie year sack total, but his 10.6% win-rate is No. 9 among all second-year pass-rushers. 

Simply put, the Jaguars need reinforcements. The defense has outperformed the offense through the first eight games, and the Jaguars can't afford to let the unit slip in the second-half. 

“You would think so, with the weapons and the fire power," Pederson said on Monday when asked if he thought the offense would have been the unit carrying the team. "We missed some opportunities yesterday."

"There were some opportunities that you could maybe blow the game open and we missed them. Those are the things that we’ve got to fix offensively, then of course, the giveaways just can’t happen especially that deep in the redzone. It’s just taking points off the board and games are going to be different. That’s what we see as coaches, that’s what our players see and that’s why the second half of the season is going to be important that we take care of the football that way.”