Jacksonville Jaguars need to take a shot at risky cornerback free-agent market

With plenty of money to spend again this offseason, the Jaguars could shore up a position of  need with one of the top free-agent cornerbacks.

The Jacksonville Jaguars once again have oodles of cap space, which means they should be big players in free agency this summer. It’s logical to link the team to some of new VP of football operations Tom Coughlin’s recent stops (particularly in New York), but the Jaguars have focused on guys entering their prime who have a chance to ascend.

That “chance to ascend” is just that – a chance. The Jaguars have swung for the fences with guys like Davon House and Jermey Parnell as part-time players to take on a starter role, but both have been strikeouts.

House’s diminished role has opened up what will likely be an area to target for the Jaguars this offseason. Prince Amukamara is also a free agent, so it’s logical to think the Jaguars will explore the cornerback market.

One of the guys who will likely end up being a top-paid free agent is Texans defensive back A.J. Bouye. Pro Football Focus had him as a top 3 corner this year, but they also listed him as one of the biggest risk/reward free agent signings this offseason.

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Bouye would be a different risk than what the Jaguars gambled on with House and Parnell. Bouye played a full load in 2016 and excelled, but he only did it for one year and he did so on a terrific defense. He would arguably thrive across another elite cornerback in Jalen Ramsey, but the Jaguars would have to throw a lot of money at the young defender.

Another guy who improved considerably in 2016 was Cowboys former first round pick Morris Claiborne.

"5. Dallas Cowboys CB Morris ClaiborneClaiborne, much like Bouye, is another cornerback who trended upwards in a big way in 2016. Unlike Bouye, though, Claiborne has the first-round pedigree that often convinces general managers it’s not a fluke. Before injuries struck, Claiborne looked like the Cowboys No. 1 cornerback early in the season. His 0.81 yards-per-coverage-snaps average on the season was  10th at the position. The issue is that it’s once again only one season of production, and not even close to a full season at that."

Claiborne’s case in free-agency is starkly different than Bouye’s. The former LSU star has a first round pedigree and struggled to play consistently on what’s been one of the least talented defenses in the league. He was miles better in 2016 but injuries kept him from building his stock for free-agency.

That’s why the Jaguars should go after Claiborne.

Optimize the risk/reward in this scenario and opt to give Claiborne a “prove it” deal. The Jaguars likely won’t want to make the investment needed to get Bouye anyway, so bring in Claiborne to provide depth and possibly start across from Ramsey.