The Jacksonville Jaguars have given themselves a solid foundation to build upon. The franchise is under a new regime with head coach Urban Meyer leading the way, and the fan base is ecstatic with the addition of Trevor Lawrence under center. This team likely won't make the postseason this year, but they have the potential to be quite dangerous in the years to come.
The offense seems to be close to being elite. Lawrence has a plethora of weapons around him, with DJ Chark, Laviska Shenault, and Marvin Jones Jr. serving as his main pass options. With Travis Etienne and James Robinson likely to split the carries, Jacksonville has a solid 1-2 punch in the backfield. The offensive line is still questionable, but they should be better in comparison to last season.
Defense is where this team will likely struggle, but they're not far away from becoming a top unit either. Myles Jack is a reliable inside linebacker, and the team is excited about CJ Henderson and Shaquil Griffin playing in the secondary.
However, the front office should consider making at least one more trade to give the roster the best chances of success. Here are three trade candidates for the Jaguars entering training camp.
1. Zach Ertz
After requesting a trade, the Philadelphia Eagles have failed to find a partner to deal Zach Ertz away despite rumors of a deal getting close. He's reportedly attending training camp, but there are still rumors of a deal potentially going through. A handful of teams could use Ertz's abilities, and the Jaguars would be a perfect landing spot. Ertz would immediately become the starter and likely receive a solid amount of targets as well.
The Jaguars' current tight end group is rather putrid. They have six tight ends on the roster currently, and the biggest name is Tim Tebow. Bringing in Zach Ertz would give Jacksonville a much more efficient tight end for Trevor Lawrence to work with. Ertz isn't the same tight end he used to be, but he'd be a great veteran to have until the front office finds his replacement.
2. Jaylon Smith
Jaylon Smith has been involved in numerous trade rumors after the Dallas Cowboys revamped their linebacker group. With Micah Parsons in town, the Cowboys should consider trading Smith away for a draft pick or two. Jaylon Smith has been a solid linebacker and is considered a tackle machine, as he racked up 417 total tackles the last three years.
Jacksonville would suddenly have a strong linebacker group and become more efficient in stopping the run. Between Smith and Myles Jack, the Jaguars would have a very reliable group and allow the front office to focus on acquiring pass rushers in the 2022 offseason.
3. Stephon Gilmore
The trade rumors regarding Stephon Gilmore have quieted down as he claims he still wants to play for the New England Patriots. Even so, New England hasn't made an offer to extend his contract, leaving Gilmore's future up in the air. They might still be looking to trade him, so the Jaguars should come calling.
It's a necessity to have three great cornerbacks on a roster these days, and acquiring Gilmore would give the Jaguars just that. He'd be teaming up with CJ Henderson and Shaquil Griffin in the secondary, providing Jacksonville with top pass coverage. We'll see what happens with Gilmore, though, as it seems like he'll be on the Patriots for at least one more year.
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