The Jaguars’ trade-deadline radar keeps circling back to the same spot: defensive tackle.
Jacksonville’s interior defensive line has done plenty of good work this season, especially against the run. That part of the front has helped make the Jaguars one of the NFL’s best run defenses. But the pass-rush from the middle has not shown up with the same consistency, and that leaves a very specific question for the deadline: if Jacksonville wants help inside, which names actually make sense?
Moro Ojomo sits near the top of that list. He’s 25, carries a $1.84 million cap hit and has shown real juice as an interior rusher.
The Eagles also appear to be heading toward a firesale, and it’s hard to imagine them extending him with two big-money defensive tackles already on the books. Put it together and Ojomo looks like one of the cleanest trade cases in the league.
For the Jaguars, he would be a strong boost to the interior pass-rush and a player they could use for the next 11 games alongside Arik Armstead, Travon Walker, and Josh Hines-Allen on third downs.
He also brings a little more than a short-term fix. If Ojomo clicks with Hamilton and Armstead, both in contract years, Jacksonville could try to keep him around and build him into a long-term piece on the defensive line. If that’s not the path, the Jaguars could let him walk and potentially land a strong compensatory pick depending on the deal he signs elsewhere.
Daron Payne is the big swing. He would cost about $9 million to add, so the Jaguars would need to clear space to make it happen, but the talent is obvious.
Payne is 29, still has real impact ability, and could be the kind of player who changes the feel of Jacksonville’s interior defense right away. He’s also in the final year of his deal, which means the compensatory pick angle would come into play again.
He’s having a solid season as both a pass-rusher and a run defender, and the move would amount to a rental veteran push before free agency.
Zach Sieler is a different kind of target, but still a sensible one. He has connections to people on the Jaguars’ defensive staff, and while he may not bring the same pass-rush impact as Payne or Ojomo, he would improve the group on both run defense and pressure.
Miami also looks like a team willing to deal veterans for the right price, even after beating the New York Jets on Sunday. Unlike the others on this list, Sieler is under contract for a few more years, with $10 million guaranteed next year, so he would need to be viewed as a longer-term addition.
Then there’s Poona Ford, who would offer a different kind of value. The Chargers have other trade options, especially on the edge, but Ford stands out as a veteran who can help immediately against the run.
He would upgrade the depth chart behind the starters and do it at a modest cost. He’s not the answer if Jacksonville is chasing interior pass-rush upside - in fact, he’s the worst pass-rusher on this list by a healthy margin - but he would make the Jaguars better right now, and that matters too.
In Other News...
Jaguars Could Make A Deadline Move Fans Never Saw Coming
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, the Jaguars are at least looking hard at a couple of options that would have sounded unlikely not long ago. Brandon Cleveland is entering the final stretch of his contract, which gives Jacksonville a chance to see whether there is any value to be found in moving him now rather than letting his situation play out later.
Jourdan Lewis is the more surprising name in the conversation, especially for a player who has served as both a nickel cornerback and a team captain. Still, the idea is less about anything Lewis has done wrong than about how Jacksonville might try to rework its defense if the right deal materializes, even if these possibilities remain only speculative for now. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Could Catch Ravens At A Brutal Time For Baltimore
Lamar Jacksons ankle injury has put Baltimore in a tough spot at exactly the wrong time. The Ravens downgraded him from questionable to out for the upcoming game against Cincinnati after he sustained a high-ankle sprain in Week 4, and now everything turns to the next matchup against Buffalo, where his status is still up in the air.
For Jacksonville, the timing matters because the Jaguars are watching a Ravens team that is much more dangerous when Jackson is on the field. Baltimore is expected to monitor his practice participation closely before deciding whether he is ready to return, leaving a key stretch of the schedule hanging on how quickly the quarterback can recover. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Face A Brian Thomas Jr. Deadline Decision
With the trade deadline looming on Nov. 10, Brian Thomas Jr. has suddenly become part of a much bigger conversation than the Jaguars alone. Kansas City is reportedly shopping for wide receiver help, and ESPNs Adam Schefter listed Thomas among the names the Chiefs have discussed while canvassing the market for upgrades to a receiver group hit by injuries and uneven production.
For Jacksonville, the idea of another team even kicking the tires on Thomas is the kind of development that gets attention fast. The Jaguars have every reason to value a young receiver with his kind of upside, but the Chiefs interest underscores how quickly the deadline can turn a player into a point of leverage, and how many questions can surface before a team has to decide whether to listen or hold firm. [Read more 🡒]