JaguarReport Mailbag, Week 14: What Are the Biggest Priorities?

Another week, another Jacksonville Jaguars mailbag. This weekend we take questions on the positions the Jaguars should prioritize moving forward, the general manager search, Trevor Lawrence and the New York Jets, and more.

Q: John, let's assume the Jets and Jags finish the season with the first and second draft picks. What do you think it would take for the Jags to trade up to number 1? What would you do if you were the GM of each team?

A: I think it would take quite a bit. The New York Jets will be coming off an embarrassing 2020 that has seen Adam Gase and Sam Darnold's tenures both come to a whimpering end, so it is hard to imagine they won't want to pick Trevor Lawrence to reinvigorate the franchise and fanbase.

There isn't really a precedent set here. There have been instances where teams have traded up to No. 2 to pick a quarterback, but a swap of the first two picks isn't exactly common. Maybe the closest example would be the RG3 trade in 2012 when Washington sent the Rams their first-round picks in 2012 (No.6 overall), 2013 (No. 22 overall), and 2014 (No. 2 overall), as well as their second-round pick (No. 39 overall) in 2012.

What would I do? I would make an offer if I was the Jaguars -- and I would listen to said offer as the Jets. But at the end of the day, the Jets should probably just take Lawrence and the Jaguars should probably be happy with who they can pick at No. 2.

Q: What do you think the Jaguars would be able to get in a Taven Bryan trade?

A: Not much. He will be entering the final year of his rookie deal and has been benched for an undrafted free agent toward the end of his third NFL season. Perhaps they could do a pick swap like the Titans did with Kamalei Correa and move up in the draft without actually adding onto their number of picks. With that said, it has always seemed like NFL teams are higher on Bryan than those in the media or in the fanbase. With that said, good luck getting a lot of value for a player with 3.5 sacks in three years.

Q: Who is the best-case scenario for our second first-round pick? What's the worst scenario with that pick?

A: I struggle to say Kyle Pitts is the best-case scenario since there are so many positions more important than tight end, but it is looking more and more like the Jaguars' second first-round pick will be in the late 20s. At that point, Pitts would be a genuine steal, so his name has to be in there. I would also put Virginia Tech offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw and Alabama offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood in that category.

Worst case scenario? The Jaguars take Penei Sewell or any other non-quarterback with their first pick and take Mac Jones or Kyle Trask with their second first-rounder. This idea will be floated out by plenty of people over the next few months, but it isn't a winning proposition for the Jaguars.

Q: The O-line looks okay to good this season. Should the Jags cut Cann, Robinson and/or Norwell and draft new guys or get some in free agency? Or should they keep (any of) these three? (Or in short: What should be the plan for the Jags O-line this offseason?)

A: A.J. Cann and Andrew Norwell are both under contract in 2021. Cann is having his best season as a pro and Norwell has been solid when healthy, so there is no real reason for the Jaguars to move on from either unless they want to clear some cap -- they have plenty of projected space, though, so this isn't a necessary move.

As for Cam Robinson, he is the only starting offensive lineman whose contract is up in March. The Jaguars can't cut him because he won't be under contract after Week 17. With that said, the Jaguars do have to decide whether they want to extend Robinson and make him a high-paid left tackle. He isn't perfect, but left tackles with his youth and experience typically get paid.

Q: Any players not named Fields or Lawrence, and obtainable that would make the Jaguars' Christmas Wish list?

A: Here are a few names that I didn't mention in the above answer:

OT Sam Cosmi (Texas)
DT Marvin Wilson (FSU)
OT Walker Little (Stanford)
S Javon Holland (Oregon)
DT Jay Tufele (USC)
CB Shaun Wade (Ohio State)
CB Tyson Campbell (Georgia)
CB Asante Samuel Jr. (FSU)
TE Brevin Jordan (Miami)

Q: If the Jags somehow get the first overall pick because the Jets win a game, should they take Trevor Lawrence no-brainer?

A: I think so. Justin Fields is a really good prospect but Trevor Lawrence is, in my view, on a slightly higher tier in comparison. He has the athleticism, ability to win from the pocket, accuracy, and every other trait you want from a quarterback. His upside is as high as any other quarterback picked within the top-5 in recent years, so I do think the Jaguars should just pick him with the top pick in any event they obtained it.

Q: Do you think the Jags should use their multiple 4th rounders to trade for veteran defensive pieces?

A: It depends what kind of veterans, but the Jaguars are likely better off holding onto their picks for draft purposes. If the Jaguars want to deal any picks, it should be to move up for better prospects. 4th round picks are still valuable considering players like Daniel Thomas and Collin Johnson were selected after that point. With that said, if the Jaguars can get a steady veteran on the defensive line and in the secondary for a fourth-round pick, it wouldn't be close to being defined as a "bad" move.

Q: Wherever the second first-round pick is, you have a top tier CB (Shaun Wade), edge (Gregory Rosseau), and TE (Kyle Pitts), all positions of need, which way do they lean and draft?

A: I don't think they would pick another edge, at least not in the first round. K'Lavon Chaisson had plenty of fans in NFL circles outside of Jacksonville so I doubt a new regime would throw in the towel on him so quickly. Add in the place of Josh Allen on the depth chart, and it is hard to imagine the Jaguars picking a DE. Shaun Wade would be enticing in the event they do not come to terms with Sidney Jones on a new deal. Jacksonville still needs to invest in the cornerback position even with CJ Henderson picked at No. 9 last year, so don't count out a cornerback this early.

With that said, I think the Jaguars would pick Pitts in this scenario. They have nothing at the tight end position moving forward and any new regime would likely want to surround the newest franchise quarterback with the most weapons possible early on in his career.

Q: Should we trade our second first-round pick for more picks in the second-round or should we trade our second-round picks for more in the first round?

A: It really depends on how the board falls. If an impact player slips in the first round, one may regret moving out of the top-32 picks. The Jaguars can also get the most bang for their buck if they simply just stick with their four picks in the first two rounds. Holding onto as many picks as possible in the event they want to make a move up is key, but there should be more clarity on this topic as the year progresses. My final answer is "neither", but the first option is the best of these two since it would give the Jaguars more chances to make picks in the top-50.

Q: Is there any info yet on the Jags process for the GM search (process for determining candidates, timelines for when they'll begin interviews, etc)?

A: Not really. The consensus both inside and outside the building is the Jaguars made the move on Dave Caldwell when they did so they could get a jumpstart on their general manager search. That was nearly two weeks ago, so the Jaguars have likely done a decent amount of legwork so far. Khan took a little over a week to find and hire Dave Caldwell in 2013 (Gene Smith was fired on Dec. 31), so while there is nothing formally out there about the process, it should be expected to be wrapped up not too long after the season ends.

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