Jacksonville Jaguars free agency 2017: Competition for Jason Pierre-Paul’s services
By Luke Sims
Jason Pierre-Paul would be a valuable addition to the Jacksonville Jaguars but the team will have to fend off the New York Giants if they want his services.
Per Mike Garafolo, the New York Giants aren’t going to let stud pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul go off to another team in free agency without a fight. He’s a valuable player for the Giants and the team doesn’t want to be forced to replace him.
Maxwell Ogden of GMenHQ notes that the Giants may be freeing up cap space to keep JPP. This is reflected in the moves to release running back Rashad Jennings and wide receiver Victor Cruz. The Giants have $34.5 million in cap space per Spotrac, which is 18th in the NFL.
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What that means is that for teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars ($64.9 million in cap space, fifth in the NFL), bidding for Jason Pierre-Paul’s services is going to be difficult for the Giants. They may be opening up the ability to put most of their cap space toward him, but teams like the Jaguars will have the edge.
And that edge is critical for the Jags. Without a premiere pass rushing force the team has struggled. Yanick Ngakoue was a pleasant surprise in 2016 as a rookie but he headlines a group that has been disappointing. In particular, Dante Fowler Jr.’s first season the field was not much to write home about.
A veteran pass rusher like JPP helps the team immediately. He can mentor the young Jags pass rushers while still delivering top-notch production for however long he is with the team.
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As the free agency market becomes clearer, it’s important to note why Pierre-Paul may make his way to Jacksonville. Executive vice president for football operations brought JPP into the league when he was head coach of the Giants and has brought a significant number of assistants and coaches to Jacksonville since the end of the 2016 season. Pierre-Paul may have more ties to Jacksonville now than he has in New York.
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The Jags have struggled to close on top pass rushing talents in the past – like Olivier Vernon in 2016 – but the connections to JPP and the cap space to literally throw money at him may finally be enough.