What Does the Calais Campbell Trade Mean for the Jaguars’ Present and Future?

After the dust has settled following another massive trade, it has become abundantly clear what the intentions of the Jacksonville Jaguars are as they move forward into the 2020 offseason. With defensive lineman Calais Campbell traded to the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth-round selection, the Jaguars' sights are now firmly on the future and rebuilding.

Campbell had been a centerpiece of the Jaguars' franchise since he signed with the team in the 2017 offseason. Now, the Jaguars will move into the future without their leader, the Mayor of Sacksonville.

The Campbell trade is just the latest in a long line of big moves made by the Jaguars. It follows past transactions such as dealing cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams for two first-round picks and a mid-round pick in 2021, as well as the trading of cornerback A.J. Bouye to the Denver Broncos for a fourth-round selection in 2020.

What could the move mean for 2020 and also for the long-term plans of a team that had, so far, been publicly stating they were in a win-now mode? We examine the trade from a number of perspectives, considering why the Jaguars made the deal, what they got in return, and how it can set up their future moves.

What does the Calais Campbell trade mean for 2020?

By trading Campbell, the Jaguars are trading away 31.5 sacks, 44 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles and 48 regular season stats over the last three seasons. Campbell played at least 800 snaps in each of his three seasons in Jacksonville, making the Pro Bowl in each year and establishing himself as the unquestioned captain of the defense and voice of the locker room.

Campbell's production fell off in 2019 (6.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, two fumbles) as he only recorded sacks in four of the team's 16 games, but he was still a steady presence for the defense line. With him gone, there is yet another hole on a roster already filled with a number of them.

What did the Jaguars get in exchange for Campbell? A fifth-round selection that amounts to the 170th overall pick. That pick hasn't produced much in the form of impact players in recent years, so the compensation for the 34-year old veteran is minimal. Below is the last five players selected at that draft slot:

2019: K Austin Seibert (Browns)
2018: CB Darius Phillips (Bengals)
2017: WR Rodney Adams (Vikings)
2016: OT Cole Toner (Cardinals)
2015: CB Tye Smith (Seahawks)

Overall, the deal means the Jaguars now have 11 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, the most picks the team has had since Dave Caldwell began his tenure as general manager in 2013.

With the Jaguars getting only a minor return for a player who is the reigning Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year and has made the Pro Bowl in every year in which he has played in Jacksonville, it is fair to look at this deal more as a salary dump than anything else.

In trading Campbell, the Jaguars save $15 million in cap space, giving them room to pursue a big-money free agent this offseason that they previously didn't have. What the Jaguars' cap space will look like will depend on how much Yannick Ngakoue's franchise tag tender is valued at, but the Jaguars could have between $15 and $19 million to work with.

Campbell is 34, has had declining production, and was entering the final year of his contract. Trading him in hopes of signing a major free agent is reasonable, though the Jaguars would need to ensure the addition of a high-caliber free agent to ensure the trade was worth it.

With Campbell no longer in the picture, the Jaguars need a new starter at defensive end in base downs and a replacement for his third down role as an interior pass-rusher. Campbell split time between defensive end and defensive tackle in Jacksonville, and none of the other defensive linemen they have put at the two spots (Taven Bryan and Dawuane Smoot) have proven the ability to have consistent success in the versatile role.

To replace Campbell, the Jaguars could look to sign a similar player in free agency such as Arik Armstead, or draft Iowa defensive lineman A.J. Epenesa with either the No. 20 or No. 42 picks. Each of these players has the inside/out versatility that Campbell brought to Jacksonville's defense and is a sensible fit.

What does the trade indicate about the Jaguars' future?

When the trade becomes official when the new league year begins, the Jaguars will own 11 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, in addition to the nine picks they own in 2021. The Jaguars now have the following picks this April:

Round 1, No. 9.
Round 1, No. 20. (Via Los Angeles Rams)
Round 2, No. 42.
Round 3, No. 73.
Round 4, No. 116.
Round 4, No. 137. (Via Denver Broncos)
Round 5, No. 165. (Via Los Angeles Rams)
Round 5, No. 170 (Via Baltimore Ravens)
Round 6, No. 189.
Round 6, No. 206 (Via Seattle Seahawks)
Round 7, No. 223.

With 20 picks over the next two drafts, including six picks in the first four rounds in 2020, the Jaguars could be set up perfectly to make a move up the board during April's draft. The most logical move would be for the Jaguars to move within the top five or six in an attempt to draft Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah. They now have enough picks to make a move without it severely hindering their ability to add to the roster throughout the rest of the draft,

With Campbell gone and a big void being opened on the roster, the Jaguars' outlook for the future becomes more focused on a youth movement. The Jaguars will now have to rebuild their roster through the draft, while also having the short-term flexibility to add a high-priced player.

Jacksonville was going to have to replace Campbell after 2020 anyways, so his departure doesn't affect the future as much as it impacts the present. But it could still result in additional aggressive moves for a team that badly needs to upgrade its roster.

Final thoughts

Overall, the Jaguars were going to have a tough time winning in 2020 even with Campbell. Without him, they have made it clear they are a team in transition whose eyes are set on winning beyond 2020.

Trading Campbell is a major move no matter how you look at it. Was he aging and still taking up a good bit of cap space? He was. But there was reason to believe that his leadership and versatility were more valuable for a head coach and general manager that need to win in 2020.

With yet another high-profile player gone from Jacksonville, the Jaguars have, at last, put their eyes on the future and stopped looking backward, even if they won't publically say as much. Now, the Jaguars are equipped with the draft picks to be aggressive over the coming months, making them one of the NFL's true wild cards this offseason.

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