Jacksonville Jaguars: Does it make sense to pursue these 3 free agents?

Will the Jaguars have a chance to land Marcus Williams this offseason?

New Orleans safety Marcus Williams is known as the player that was on the wrong end of the Minneapolis Miracle. Nevertheless, the Utah product hasn’t let a bad play define him and has gone on to have a successful NFL career.

In fact, Williams has been one of the top safeties in the league in the last two years and could end up becoming a better addition than Anthony Harris or Justin Simmons. The problem with Williams is that just like Simmons, he may not hit the open market.

James Palmer of NFL Media says that the Broncos will likely apply the franchise tag on Simmons if they can’t reach a long-term agreement. Meanwhile, the Saints are expected to make a strong push to keep Williams, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. It’s important to point out New Orleans is currently $69 million in the red but if there’s is one team that has no trouble getting under the cap year in and year out, it’s them, and if they want to retain the safety, they will probably find a way to it.

If Williams does hit the open market, the Jaguars shouldn’t hesitate to take their wallet out and make a play for it. Nevertheless, if he stays with the Saints, this Jacksonville team may be better off pursuing John Johnson III, another mid-level free agent that could have the same kind of impact Williams would with the Jags.