The Jaguars look to help the secondary this offseason

Will the Jaguars address needs in their secondary through free agency and the NFL Draft?

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost their superstar cornerback last season and the secondary felt his departure. The defensive backfield was composed of young inexperienced players and older journeyman veterans. Upgrades are needed.

The defensive backfield is often the last line of defense as the other team runs for a touchdown. Tackling, speed, and being in the right area of the field are vital. Sadly, there were moments when these traits were absent.

On the positive side, the Jaguars have an up and coming young safety in Ronnie Harrison. Other safeties on the roster are Doug Middleton, Andrew Wingard, Cody Davis, and Jarrod Wilson. Undrafted cornerback Tre Herndon did a solid job in a difficult situation filling in for Jalen Ramsey. Jayson Stanley, Parry Nickerson, D.J. Hayden, and A.J. Bouye round out the cornerbacks on the Jaguars roster.

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Everyone is looking for size hoping to get the next Richard Sherman but size alone is not enough. Speed is the number one quality for a successful cornerback. Add to that the fluidity to turn and run on a dime, the ability to see plays develop and react, and good tackling skills.

Free agents currently available include the Cowboys Byron Jones, Panthers James Bradberry who can cover a No. 1 wide receiver one-on-one, and the Broncos Chris Harris at age 31. Potential draft choices are C.J. Henderson of Florida who has size speed and coverage skills, Patrick Surtain ll with potential and size, and Jeff Okudah from Ohio State, who figures to be amongst the top five picks in the Draft. All three players are projected to be drafted in the first or second round.

According to Jonah Tuls of The Draft Network, an important trait needed in a safety is range.

"“Range is closely related to play speed in that mental processing plays a key role, but this is more about what happens after the initial read,” he writes. “Specifically, I’m talking about coverage angles. Keep this in mind when talking about range: All rangy safeties are athletic, but not all athletic safeties have good range. Range is how efficiently a player can get from point A to point B, and this requires precise angles/tracking.”"

In terms of players who may be available at safety in free agency, the Jaguars could look to

Anthony Harris (Vikings) and Justin Simmons (Broncos), who are considered two of the best in the NFL.  Jimmie Ward of the 49ers and Ha Ha Clinton Dix of the  Bears are solid as well.

Possible draft choices are Grant Delpit of LSU with good instincts, size, and speed, and Xavier McKinney of Alabama who can play strong or free safety. Both are projected to go in the first or second round.

The defensive backfield can make or break a team. Size, speed, coverage skills, and ability to read the field and respond quickly make a great defensive back. The Jaguars need help at both safety and cornerback. They must address these issues in the offseason.