Jacksonville Jaguars should not pursue Victor Cruz in free agency
By Luke Sims
The Jacksonville Jaguars appear set at wide receiver, even with interesting options like Victor Cruz set to hit free agency in 2017.
As 2017 free agency rapidly approaches and teams start to jettison players that may be too expensive to keep around or too injured to see the field, things get more interesting. The New York Giants’ release of wide receiver Victor Cruz is one of the more eye popping moves of late.
For teams that have struggled to win, Cruz is a valuable target in free agency. He instantly makes an offense better and can be a difference maker when he is on the field. Most teams that finish with just a handful of wins desperately need that kind of talent injection at a crucial position.
Not so for the Jacksonville Jaguars, though. The Jags are blessed to have a terrific cadre of young receiving talent headlined by Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, and Marqise Lee. All three receivers are set to hit their fourth seasons with the team in 2017 and are capable of posting 1000 yards.
From 2011 through when he injured his knee, Victor Cruz was among the elite WRs in the NFL. Only two WRs had more 100-yd games in that span. pic.twitter.com/hw0GyrxYyY
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 13, 2017
As a result, while there may be plenty of speculation surrounding Cruz’s final destination, it’s doubtful that it will be with Jacksonville. The Jags are simply stocked right now and the money Cruz will likely command is better spent elsewhere.
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What may be more interesting to see if someone else in the AFC South targets Cruz as a top option. He would be a tough player to defend against for the Jaguars, even with so many former Giants assistants and coaches now working for the team. Cruz is a valuable piece in any offense and would instantly make the cadre of young AFC South signal callers much better.