Should the Jaguars Consider Signing Vic Beasley if DE Depth Is Needed?

After passing on Vic Beasley in 2015, should the Jaguars attempt to remedy their prior decision and sign the veteran defensive end?

Leading up to the 2015 NFL Draft, it was clear as day the Jacksonville Jaguars would do one thing with the third overall selection: draft a pass-rusher. 

The question was, which one? The two players vying to be the first defensive off the edge drafted Florida's Dante Fowler Jr. and Clemson's Vic Beasley. Jacksonville would decide to land Fowler, while Beasley would be drafted by the Atlanta Falcons five picks later. What happened since then is history, and now neither player is with Jacksonville or Atlanta as the Falcons announced Monday that they wouldn't attempt to resign Beasley.

BREAKING NEWS: We will not pursue negotiations with Vic Beasley this offseason. https://t.co/AWbxv1SiGi

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) February 3, 2020

Fowler had a tumultuous first three seasons in Jacksonville and was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for a third-round pick in 2019 and a fifth-round selection in 2020. He recorded only 14 sacks with the Jaguars, recording more than four sacks in only one season.

Meanwhile Beasley, the player Jacksonville passed on in favor of Fowler, led the NFL in sacks (15.5) in 2016, leading to a place on the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro. But his production fell off from that point, and he ultimately collected 37.5 sacks In five seasons in Atlanta. 

Neither the Jaguars or Falcons got a ton out of this pair of pass-rushers but Jacksonville could attempt to see what life would be on the other side of the fateful decision. The team's defensive end depth moving forward is in a state of flux, and there is a very real possibility they may have to consider adding one via free agency in March. 

If the Jaguars are forced to go in this direction, should Beasley be an option? There is a case to make for, and against, the veteran defensive end. 

Why the Jaguars should pursue Beasley

Jacksonville could have a serious lack of proven experience on the edge in 2020 if a few personnel moves shake out a certain way. Fourth-year defensive end Yannick Ngakoue is an impending free agent and to date, there has been no public developments on the Jaguars' ability to land a deal with Ngakoue. Jacksonville could tag Ngakoue if they can't agree to terms, but they could also simply let him walk and try to find a cheaper replacement.  

Jacksonville also has a decision to make on defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who is due $17.5 million in 2020, the final year of his contract. If the Jaguars were to cut Campbell, they'd save $15 million, leaving the possibility of Campbell no longer being a Jaguar. 

If Jacksonville was to have one of Ngakoue or Campbell in 2020, or neither of them, they'd have to look into upgrading the pass-rush. They could opt to draft a defensive end early in the 2020 NFL Draft to pair with 2019 first-rounder Josh Allen, but chances are a team like the Jaguars would prefer a veteran. 

Head coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell are each entering make or break years and may prefer to entrust more experienced players over developing rookies at key positions such as defensive end. 

Beasley was kept on Atlanta's roster in 2019 via his fifth-year option, leaving the Falcons on the hook for about $12 million. Would he cost much more on the open market? According to OverTheCap.com, Beasley's performance in 2019 was valued lower than his actual figure, coming in at $6.187 million. 

For a team like the Jaguars that will have to navigate around a potentially tight cap, Beasley could be an intriguing option on a deal that is somewhere near $6 million per year. Whether he signs for a contract of that size is a question, but it would fit with the Jaguars. 

Why the Jaguars should pass on Beasley again

On the other hand, Beasley only has two seasons with more than five sacks recorded and is far from a consistent player. If not for a strong second-half surge in 2019, he wouldn't have came close to eight sacks since he recorded only 1.5 sacks before Week 10. It is far from a guarantee he would be able to step in and provide enough of a pass-rush to offset the loss of either Ngakoue or Campbell. 

The fact that Atlanta, who is always looking for more pass-rushers, isn't interested in keeping him should also raise some red flags. They know him more than anyone off and on the field, and they likely know the type of contract he is seeking. If they would rather have him leave in free agency than work on a new contract with Beasley, then it isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. 

To add to this point, the Falcons' front seven scheme is similar to the one the Jaguars and defensive coordinator Todd Wash utilize. Atlanta had a hard time finding a consistent place for Beasley due to his linebacker size and misfit as an every-down 4-3 defensive end. If Atlanta had issues fitting Beasley into its scheme, Jacksonville would likely follow suit. 

It would also raise the question of why would Jacksonville prefer Beasley on a cheaper deal over a superior player in Ngakoue. The optics of letting Ngakoue walk after a year of tense contract talks just to go on to pay Beasley wouldn't look great to anyone.

Jacksonville could instead be better off allocating its resources elsewhere. Whether it is coming to terms with Ngakoue, sticking with Campbell, or drafting a rookie to step in as a partner for Allen from Day one, each option would give the Jaguars more flexibility than signing Beasley would. He is still a young player with the potential to improve, but it is a move that would simply make more sense for a different team