With four weeks still left before the 2026 trade deadline, the Jaguars are already in the kind of spot that invites shopping. Jacksonville is sitting on top of the AFC South at 4-1, but that doesn’t mean the roster is finished. If anything, the early position gives the Jaguars a chance to hunt for upgrades before the deadline gets here.
A few names stand out as realistic fits, and the common thread is clear: help the trenches, add another corner, and shore up depth where it matters most.
Moro Ojomo is the kind of interior defender who makes sense for a team looking to get more disruptive up front. The Eagles defensive tackle is sturdy against the run, has already flashed as a pass-rusher, and brings the sort of explosive profile the Jaguars could use inside. He wouldn’t be the lone fix for the defensive front, but he would be a worthwhile addition because he can win one-on-ones and create problems on the interior.
The price tag could be manageable, too. If Ojomo had a few more years left on his deal, he would probably be in Day 2 territory.
Because he is a rental, the expectation is that he could be available for a Day 3 pick if Philadelphia keeps sliding. His cap hit would be minimal, and if he leaves in free agency in March, Jacksonville would likely recoup value through the comp pick formula.
If the Eagles do decide to sell, Ojomo could even come at a cost below what the Jaguars paid last year for Jakobi Meyers, who required a fourth- and a sixth-round pick as a rental.
Khalil Mack is the splashier swing, and the fit is easy to see. Travon Walker has played well, but there’s obvious upside in pairing him with Mack and Josh Hines-Allen.
That setup would also allow Walker to move inside more often on passing downs. A third-down package featuring Hines-Allen and Mack on the edges with Walker and Arik Armstead inside would be a problem for opposing offenses, and Mack would be walking into a team with legitimate playoff ambitions.
On the cost side, there’s reason to believe this one could work. Reports have suggested the Chargers would probably take a fifth-round pick for Mack, and that’s a number the Jaguars should be comfortable with.
Jacksonville has been willing to move Day 3 picks over the last two years, knowing it can replenish that stock through the compensatory formula. With Los Angeles continuing to lose and Mack looking like one of the most obvious trade candidates, this feels like a deal the Jaguars could realistically pull the trigger on.
Zach Sieler is another interior option worth watching. He has a connection to multiple coaches on Jacksonville’s staff, and while he isn’t the pass-rusher he once was, he still does a lot of the dirty work in the middle of the defensive line. He’d fit the style of defense the Jaguars want to play and would give them a real boost in the trenches as the games get bigger in December, January, and beyond.
The asking price is the tricky part. A fifth-round pick feels like the upper end of what makes sense at this stage of his career, though a fourth and a future pick, similar to the Jakobi Meyers deal, could fit into the Jaguars’ draft resources as well. Miami is expected to keep losing, but it remains to be seen how quickly the Dolphins would fully give up on the season.
At cornerback, Brandon Stephens would help with both style and numbers. Jacksonville has leaned more on man coverage in 2026, especially on money downs, and that’s where Stephens does his best work.
He’d also deepen the corner room if Montaric Brown’s hamstring issue continues to linger. The Jaguars already have Travis Hunter, Jarrian Jones, and Jourdan Lewis, but there’s still room for one more healthy body.
A trade would depend on what the Jets are willing to do if the losses pile up. Since New York has already invested in the cornerback position in recent seasons, it would make sense for them to move Stephens for draft picks. A fifth-rounder would be understandable if Jacksonville felt pressure to act, but a sixth-round pick is the cleaner offer for a veteran with his contract situation.
Dylan Cook is the depth tackle name on the board, and he may not be flashy, but there’s value here. Pittsburgh uses him as its swing tackle, and he has six games of starting experience.
When he’s been on the field, he has arguably been the Steelers’ best pass protector. For Jacksonville, he’d be insurance at left tackle if Anton Harrison remains out, and he would give the Jaguars a better swing tackle option than the one they have now.
The trade cost should stay modest. In-season deals for offensive tackles usually sting, with examples like the Texans’ move for Josh Jones in 2023 and the Jaguars’ trade of Cam Robinson to the Vikings in 2024.
Cook should be available for a sixth-round pick, whether that’s now or in a future year, though a seventh would be even more comfortable. The Jaguars could make the trade look a bit like Daniel Faalele's.
In Other News...
Texans Arrive In London With A Problem Jaguars Can Exploit
Houston is heading to London with some notable holes, and that matters for Jacksonville in a game that already has plenty of intrigue. Tank Dell is out, David Montgomery is out, and Jalen Pitre is out, leaving the Texans shorthanded on both sides of the ball as they prepare to face a Jaguars team that has leaned on its passing game.
For Jacksonville, the matchup now looks even more favorable on paper. The missing pieces in Houston's secondary and skill-position group could force the Texans to adjust quickly, and that is not an ideal assignment against a Jaguars offense that has shown it can make defenses pay through the air. It is the kind of early-week development that can quietly shape how this game gets played once the teams get to London. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Trade Talk Around A Core Piece Says A Lot Right Now
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, the Jaguars are getting a familiar kind of attention around a roster that still has a few pieces other teams would love to pry loose. Brian Thomas Jr. sits at the center of that conversation as a deep-threat receiver who changes how defenses line up, while Arik Armstead remains one of the more important voices and bodies on a defense that has needed it. Patrick Mekari also hangs in the mix as a veteran offensive lineman whose value is easy to see, especially with injuries testing the front.
What makes the discussion interesting is not just who could draw calls, but what it says about where Jacksonville thinks it stands right now. Teams do not start weighing moves like this unless they believe certain players can help shape the long view, and the Jaguars have to balance that against being competitive in the moment. Even if Armstead feels unlikely to go and Mekari's appeal is tied to need up front, the fact that Thomas is even part of the conversation shows how thin the line can be between building around a core piece and listening when the phone rings. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Still Have One Trade Need As Deadline Pressure Builds
The Chiefs have opened the season in strong shape, but the injury hit at wide receiver has kept one need hanging over their roster as the trade deadline approaches. Kansas City is being linked to Jacksonvilles Brian Thomas Jr. as a possible answer, a name that makes sense on paper because of the upside he would bring and the urgency the Chiefs feel to add help on the perimeter.
For Jacksonville, the idea would be hard to justify unless the offer became impossible to ignore. Thomas has not been as productive as expected, but the Jaguars are not showing much interest in moving him, even with Kansas Citys need growing and a second-round pick floated as the kind of return that could get talks moving. The closer the deadline gets, the more this becomes the sort of rumor that says as much about the Chiefs problem as it does about the Jaguars plans. [Read more 🡒]