Doug Marrone on Trade Deadline: ‘My Focus In on the Players That We Have Here’

Jacksonville may or may not make a move during the trade deadline, but it is clear where head coach Doug Marrone's focus is at.

Whether the Jacksonville Jaguars make a trade before the league's 4 p.m. trade deadline this afternoon remains to be seen. It is unlikely considering the team's 1-6 record and lack of trade pieces, but never say never. 

But even with the deadline knocking on the door it is clear that Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone, like most other head coaches, is focused on the present state of their rosters and their seasons.

“Not that I’m aware of. None," Marrone said in a Monday news conference when asked about potential moves by the team before the deadline.

"My focus in on the players that we have here, so I don’t know who’s available, who’s out there, what deals. I have no idea.”

This is consistent with what Marrone has said in the past and consistent with what most head coaches who don't work directly on the personnel side say. Like any coach, Marrone is involved with the team's roster moves, but right now he is focused on improving his team's 6-10 record.

Marrone was asked before the team's Week 8 bye week if he had any interest in the Jaguars acquiring New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, the younger brother of Jaguars linebacker Quincy Williams. In his response, Marrone laid out how he views the team and trade-type transactions. 

"I think that’s a question for [General Manager] Dave [Caldwell]," Marrone said on Oct. 27. 

"The only reason why I say it like that is because the 53 players I have on this team, that’s what I’m focused on. So, I’m not like a guy that is like, ‘Hey listen, let’s go sign this player or that player or that player or that player.’ When you do that, again that’s not in my responsibility, but I don’t want to take away from the coaches and the players. We as coaches don’t do that because it creates another step for, ‘This guy can’t play, go out and get me another guy.’ No, bulls***, you have to get this guy better, you have to get him to play as good as we can. So, that’s something that I apologize that I’m just not in that mode."

Essentially, Marrone is all for the Jaguars improving their roster via acquisitions, but during the grueling 16-game season, his focus is on the players in his own locker room who he already has.

"Am I open to get our team better? Absolutely. But am I the person that’s out there looking to see how these guys are playing and what’s going on on other teams? I’m not afforded that time, so I can’t really answer that question," Marrone said on Oct. 27.

If the Jaguars were to make any trades on Tuesday, the logical positions to look at would be tight end, defensive tackle and cornerback. But those types of moves will be monitored by general manager Dave Caldwell and his front office staff, with Marrone and his staff turning their eyes toward Week 9 vs. the Houston Texans.