The Jacksonville Jaguars should take a look at these three New Orleans Saints pending free agents.
Late in the 2020 season, it’s was uncertain whether the Jacksonville Jaguars were going to keep then-head coach Doug Marrone. However, the team moved on from him after the team finished with a 1-15 record. Looking back, they needed to make significant changes if they wanted to get back to winning and that’s precisely what they did when they hired Urban Meyer as their new head coach.
Now that Meyer’s coaching staff is taking shape and Trent Baalke is entrenched as the general manager, the team can shift their focus to the offseason. Making the right choice with the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft will be one of the biggest moves in franchise history, but before they get there, they devote their attention to free agency.
The ‘Jags’ are expected to have $73 million in cap space and will have the opportunity to be aggressive in their pursuit of free agents. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints are currently in the red and will have a hard time keeping their own free agents. This Jacksonville team should target these three this offseason.
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ safety room could use a boost.
The Jaguars’ defense wasn’t very good in 2020. Although they had a few solid performances after their Bye Week, the unit frequently struggled to stop opposing offenses and was on the wrong end of a few blowouts.
Jacksonville’s front four was pushed around at the line of scrimmage, but their back seven wasn’t much better and had a penchant for allowing big plays last season. While their cornerback room may require more attention, their safety room would surely welcome reinforcements.
Jarrod Wilson will likely take over one safety spot in 2021 but it’s uncertain who will start next to him. The ‘Jags’ could go with Daniel Thomas, who steadily earned playing time and started two games before an arm injury sidelined him. On the other hand, the team’s brass could target Saints safety Marcus Williams who will be, alongside Justin Simmons, one of the best safeties in the open market.
Williams has gotten high Pro Football Focus grades since New Orleans used a second-round pick on him in 2017’s draft. In his four-career, he’s logged 246 total tackles, 30 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and 14 interceptions.
The Jacksonville Jaguars can add a quarterback with starting experience.
There’s a 99 percent chance the Jaguars will use the first overall selection in 2021’s draft to take Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. However, the rest of their quarterback room isn’t settled, which could prompt the team to look for a veteran in free agency.
The open market will offer plenty of quarterback options, but the Jaguars should take a look at former Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback Jameis Winston, who took a backup job with the Saints in 2020.
The 2015 first overall pick wouldn’t be signed to compete with Lawerence. Rather, he would take on a backup role and step on the field in case the former Tigers quarterback missed time. Even though Winston often made head-scratching decisions with the ‘Bucs’, a year under Saints head coach Sean Payton likely helped him refined his skill set.
Gardner Minshew and Jake Luton are currently on the Jaguars’ roster but the former could have some trade value and Winston would represent an upgrade over both. Keep in mind he’s just two years removed from throwing 5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also had 30 interceptions but the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to Winston.
Trey Hendrickson can help the Jacksonville Jaguars’ generate pressure.
The Jaguars registered a paltry 17 sacks in 2020 and their defensive line was responsible for 12.5 of those. Defensive end Duwuane Smoot led the team with 5.5 while the linebacker Joe Schobert and defensive end Josh Allen logged 2.5 each. The latter missed time with injuries last season but should be fully healthy in 2021. Meanwhile, K’Lavon Chaisson displayed flashes of pass-rush prowess towards the end of the year.
However, the ‘Jags’ need to err on the side of caution and bring in help this offseason. The draft will offer a few enticing prospects but they could also target Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who had a breakout year in 2020, logging 13.5 sacks, 25 total tackles (two for a loss), and one forced fumble.
Hendrickson was a non-factor early in his career, registering 6.5 sacks and 40 total tackles in his first three seasons in New Orleans but he was their sack leader in 2020. It will be difficult for the Saints to keep him and easy for the Jaguars to sign him. If Jacksonville opts to upgrade the defensive position and not the draft, they need to give Hendrickson a long hard look.