Jacksonville Jaguars position rundown: Defensive tackle
The NFL free agency period is less than two weeks away and the Jacksonville Jaguars are reported to have the fourth-highest adjusted cap in the league. They would be silly not to take advantage of all this cap space and invest in free agency’s best available players, especially on the defensive line.
Run defense is one of the Jaguar’s biggest weaknesses. It can take a year or two to become a true anchor against the run in the NFL, so it’s important the Jaguars go after a starting defensive tackle in free agency. It will take a little time for an incoming rookie to learn the position so it should become a priority to target a veteran who can make an impact immediately.
Jacksonville currently has two defensive tackles on their roster worth giving a chance; DaVon Hamilton and Doug Costin. The rest could be let go but that is all to be determined as the Jaguar’s front office and the coaching staff are still combing through the roster.
There are several anchors available in free agency including Kawann Short, Ndamukong Suh, Daquan Jones, Jonathan Hankins, Lawrence Guy, and Larry Ogunjobi. Any one of these players would be a solid addition to Jacksonville’s new 3-4 defensive scheme.
If the Jaguar’s wanted to, they have the capital to trade for a top defensive tackle, considering teams prefer not to let their best players hit free agency. But right now, there isn’t anything to indicate the Jaguar’s getting aggressive in the trading game.
Next. Jacksonville Jaguars must avoid these 3 over-the-hill FA tight ends. dark
Whether they sign a tackle in free agency or trade for one, Jacksonville is going to look to the draft to find the right defensive lineman to lead this team in the future. It’s not an overly particular strong draft class for defensive tackles but they are a handful of guys who the Jaguars can snag in the early rounds who can contribute as quickly as possible.