5 Observations From Day 2 of the Legal Tampering Period: Jaguars Make Big Moves to Retool Defense

After taking it slow on the first day of the NFL's legal tampering period, the Jacksonville Jaguars had a busy day on Tuesday.

The Jaguars entered this offseason with a clear need for veterans at the linebacker and cornerback positions, and general manager Dave Caldwell and head coach Doug Marrone were able to use the final day of the tampering period to address those needs.

Firstly, the Jaguars signed veteran free agent linebacker Joe Schobert to a five-year, $53.75 million contract. The veteran linebacker is an experienced inside linebacker and figures to slot in the middle of the Jaguars' 4-3 defense.

In addition to Schobert, the Jaguars reportedly agreed to terms with Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Darqueze Dennard, an experienced defensive back who has spent time on the boundary and in the slot.

After examining the moves Jacksonville made on Tuesday, what takeaways can we have from the Jaguars' decisions and what it means moving forward? We discussed the moves and what could result from them.

1) The Jaguars have a plan for Myles Jack, even if it doesn't involve inside linebacker

Schobert is a middle linebacker by trade, but that is the same position veteran linebacker Myles Jack has played for Jacksonville in 27 games over the last two seasons. Jack was given a four-year, $57 million contract by the Jaguars before the 2019 season began, so he isn't going anywhere. The Jaguars are committed to him in the short- and long-term.

With this in mind, this means the Jaguars would have only signed Schobert if it means they have a firm plan in place for Jack. Does that plan include him playing inside linebacker for a third season? Considering that is where Schobert is at his best, it is unlikely.

But what about playing him at weakside linebacker, or even having him occasionally go back to his old role of strongside linebacker? These are moves that could potentially be on the table with Schobert in the fold. Expect for the Jaguars to have a firm plan for Jack and his usage considering this move and what they have said in the past.

"If we can get a guy to come in and if we need to move Myles … Myles offers so much flexibility, whether it’s MIKE, WILL, he played SAM in 2017. We feel good about that," Caldwell said during the NFL Scouting Combine last month.

The Jaguars have a plan for Jack. If they didn't, they never would have added Schobert to the defense.

2) Dave Caldwell continues his regular free agency strategy of signing to fill holes

Ever since Caldwell stepped into his role as general manager in 2013, he has had a clear strategy in free agency. This strategy has been evident in nearly offseason he has led, and this year is no different.

What is Caldwell and the Jaguars' typical free agency strategy? From the outside, it appears that they aim to sign free agents to fill enough roster holes to give them flexibility on draft day. This means the Jaguars often try to fill their most glaring holes in March to ensure they don't have to reach on a player in April.

This pattern goes back several years, with players such as Calais Campbell, A.J. Bouye, Malik Jackson, Tashaun Gipson, Julius Thomas, and Zane Beadles all fitting the mold.

This year is no different so far. The Jaguars had a glaring need at linebacker entering the offseason, with many mock drafts projecting the team drafting a player at the position with one of their first few picks. Now, there is no need to do so with Schobert in the picture. Instead of being forced to spend an early pick on a linebacker, the Jaguars can now attempt to take the most valuable player available.

3) Quincy Williams will still have a chance to develop despite the crowded linebacker room

With Schobert and Jack projecting to be the Jaguars' starting linebackers in most two-linebacker formations, a logjam at the position has formed. One player whose playing time could suffer as a result of this logjam is 2019 third-round selection Quincy Williams.

But even with Schobert and Jack likely to take the field for most of Jacksonville's snaps, this isn't a bad move for the sake of Williams' development. Instead, it could be seen as a positive considering the circumstances.

Williams stated during 2019 that his first NFL season was also his first year ever playing linebacker. During his time at Murray State, he played a linebacker/safety hybrid role. He started eight games at weakside linebacker for Jacksonville before a hand injury ended his season in 2019, but due to a meniscus injury in training camp and his already little experience at the position, Williams was forced to learn linebacker on the fly.

Now, Williams is able to develop behind both Jack and Schobert instead of having to learn how to swim on the field. Instead of adding pressure upon him to learn the ins and outs of the linebacker position in his second year, he can take a more measured and steady approach thanks to the veterans in front of him.

4) Reason for Calais Campbell trade becomes clearer and clearer

When the Jaguars traded defensive lineman Calais Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2020 fifth-round selection on Sunday, there was some clear skepticism by many.

Why trade a veteran leader who is still productive enough to impact a defense? Well, the decision makes much more sense now that the Jaguars were able to bring Schobert and Dennard into the fold.

Trading Campbell was a significant move off the field for Jacksonville because it cost them their most important piece of leadership, but it also saved them $15 million in cap space for a player who was only under contract for one more season. Because of that trade, the Jaguars had the cap flexibility to sign Schobert and Dennard, filling two big holes on the roster.

The Campbell trade cost Jacksonville a lot in terms of leadership and defensive line production, but it helped them find a new middle linebacker and some much needed cornerback depth. Whether that trade-off was a good move or not is yet to be determined, but the trade at least makes more sense now.

5) Darqueze Dennard is a curious fit but adds much-needed competition and experience

Jacksonville targeting Darqueze Dennard is a bit surprising considering he is best when aligned in the slot. With D.J. Hayden already on the roster and firmly entrenched as the team's starting slot cornerback thanks to his solid play over the last two seasons, this could suggest the Jaguars have a different idea for how to use Dennard.

As an outside cornerback, Dennard has never been more than average. His lack of long speed and ball skills hinder him from being much of a playmaker on the boundary, while his tackling ability and instincts in coverage make him an idea slot cornerback.

Dennard is a curious fit with the Jaguars if they don't plan to find a way to have both him and Hayden work in the slot. But despite this, the addition of Dennard adds much-needed experience (77 career games, 24 career starts) and versatility in the secondary. It was a thin cornerback group without A.J. Bouye, and adding Dennard to provide depth and competition makes a lot of sense on the surface, even if the fit is iffy.

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