There Is No More Pot of Gold for the Jaguars Before the 2026 NFL Draft

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are set to make a big impact in next week's NFL Draft. But, it is clear that impact will going to have to happen when they are on the clock, and not before then.

As long as the Jaguars are led by general manager James Gladstone, they are going to be aggressive and work the trade market. Gladstone made a number of high-profile -- and even lower-profile -- trades last season to make it clear this would be a integral part of his tenure as general manager.

But in the wake of the Cincinnati Bengals dealing the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants for elite nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, it is clear that, for now, there are no more big trades for Gladstone to make -- only picks. Until the Jaguars bring in their draft class, there is no pot of gold to chase after.

What's Next?

Lawrence was the last real blockbuster that made sense for the Jaguars, and this was still the case in the wake of the Jaguars trading Ruke Orhorhoro. Lawrence is a blue-chip player and the best nose tackle in football. Any team without an already-elite interior defensive line could have used Lawrence, and the Jaguars were included in that.

dexter larenc — New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (97) gestures during a Thursday Night Football game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Oct. 9, 2025. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With that in mind, the Jaguars clearly did not have a chance to even get in the conversation on Lawrence considering what the Giants got for him. There was some question whether the Giants would pull off a first-round pick for Lawrence considering his age, his need for a new contract, and his down season a year ago.

But considering the Bengals ponied up the No. 10 pick in the draft says something, even if it is a weak draft. If that is what got the deal done for Lawrence, then the Jaguars never had a chance. With the lack of a first-round pick, that has been the reality for Jacksonville. The same could have been said for the Maxx Crosby situation too, if you believe the Jaguars were interested in those talks.

Ultimately, the lesson is that without a first-round pick to wager, it is hard for the Jaguars to get in on home run talks. There are still trades and moves to be made, like what Gladstone and the Jaguars did with Orhorhoro earlier this week. But since the Jaguars are one of the only teams in the NFL that should not be calling about A.J. Brown, there is just a lack of a market out there.

That could change come this summer and come the trade deadline next season. But for now, it appears there is no blockbuster to make other than attempting to pull off a major haul with the 2026 draft class.

Considering the Jaguars and Gladstone have 11 picks, including four in the top-100, it is reasonable to believe they can do exactly that. With a projected 21 picks in the next two drafts combined, Gladstone can still be aggressive, too.

But for now, it appears the chances of a season-shifting move have been erased with Lawrence heading to the AFC North.

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