The Jacksonville Jaguars had one of the worst defenses in the NFL in 2020. Although they showed progress in the middle of the season, they reverted back to their porous self at the end of the year and gave up 140 points over the last four games.
Part of the reason for the Jaguars’ inability to stop opposing offenses from scoring was their cornerback group. Although C.J. Henderson displayed flashes as a rookie and Sidney Jones was having a career revival early in the season, injuries hit the unit hard. Henderson, Jones, and D.J Hayden, their top 3 cornerbacks missed significant time with injuries and Henderson may be the only one back in 2021 as both Jones and Hayden are set to become free agents.
If Hayden hits the open market, Jacksonville will need to find someone to take his place this offseason. The Houston product was the primary slot cornerback in 2019, giving up just 24 catches for 195 yards, no touchdowns, and a passer rating of 76.1. However, he was limited to five games in 2020 and struggled when he was on the field.
The Jaguars are projected to have a league-high $82 million in cap space this offseason and will be able to in a shopping spree in free agency and sign a slot cornerback if they choose. Here are the top 4.
The Jacksonville Jaguars may want to look into William’s injury history.
K’Waun Williams is one of the best slot cornerbacks in the league, having given up just one touchdown on 99 targets and earning superb Pro Football Focus grades, so why is he number four in this list? He’s missed 11 games over the last three years, and in a league in which availability may be as important as talent, the Jaguars might hesitate to pursue the Pittsburgh product in free agency.
After not getting his name called in 2014’s draft, Williams signed with the Cleveland Browns. There, he spent three seasons before being waived in 2016. The Chicago Bears then wanted to claim him but he failed a physical due to an ankle injury he was dealing with at the time. He ended up missing the 2016 season and signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 and later a three-year contract extension worth $8.8 million the same year.
During his four-year tenure with the Niners, Williams has registered 174 total tackles (14 for a loss), seven forced fumbles, 13 passes defensed, and three interceptions. Last season, he dealt with a high-ankle sprained and missed eight games. If the Jaguars think he’s healthy enough to make an impact, they should then pursue him in free agency, but they should err on the side of caution.
Why should the Jacksonville Jaguars pursue Brian Poole in free agency?
You might remember that the New York Jets held the first overall pick in 2021’s draft for most of the 2020 season due to their failure to win many games. That changed in Week 15, when they beat the Los Angeles Rams and the Cleveland Browns the following week. Their back-to-back victories ensured the Jaguars clinched the top selection in this year’s draft, which they will likely use on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
One of those players that made those two wins possible was slot cornerback Brian Pool, who is set to hit the open market and is one of three defensive free agents Benjamin Solak of The Draft Network believes Jacksonville should sign this offseason and mentions his connection with Jaguars’ Player Personnel Coordinator Drew Hughes and the fact he’s played at a high level in New York as reasons why the Jags should make a play for the Florida product.
An undrafted free agent in 2016, Pool spent the first four years of this NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons. He signed a two-year deal in 2019 and will be a free agent once again this offseason. In the last two seasons, he’s logged 103 total tackles (six for a loss), 12 passes defensed, one forced fumble, and three interceptions. Moreover, he didn’t allow a single touchdown in 2020, but before the Jaguars make a decision, they need to take a look at other slot corners in the open market.
The Jacksonville Jaguars could bring back a familiar face.
The Pittsburgh Steelers took on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11 last year and their ferocious defense limited the Jaguars’ offense to a season-low three points and exposed their inability to move the ball. In that game, slot cornerback Mike Hilton played a season-low 21 defensive snaps and logged just one assist.
However, Hilton was pretty solid the rest of the year, logging 51 total tackles (eight for a loss), seven passes defensed, three interceptions, and three sacks. Moreover, he gave up only one touchdown and allowed a whopping 9.2 yards per reception, which means that he wasn’t in the wrong end of many big plays. He missed four games with a shoulder injury in 2020 but before last year, he had missed just one.
An undrafted free agent in 2016, Hilton actually signed with the Jaguars in that year and spend training camp in Jacksonville before being released. After being claimed by the New England Patriots, he spent the season on their practice squad before joining the Steelers in 2017.
Former Jaguars general manager David Caldwell wouldn’t have imagined Hilton was going to become a starting cornerback in the NFL. Otherwise, the team wouldn’t have released him. This Jacksonville team will have a chance to reunite with the Mississippi product.
Troy Hill is one of two Rams the Jacksonville Jaguars should pursue.
The Los Angeles Rams had the best defense in the NFL in 2020, ranking first in points allowed and total yards. They also allowed a league-low 17 passing touchdown, so it wasn’t surprising to see the Los Angeles Chargers poach defensive coordinator Brandon Stanley and hire him as their head coach.
Although the Rams’ defense should still be good in 2021 due to the presence of three-time Defensive Player of the Year defensive tackle Aaron Donald and Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey, it will likely miss a few key contributors in free agency such as safety Josh Johnson III and slot cornerback Troy Hill.
If the New Orleans Saints end up keeping safety Marcus Williams, Johnson would probably become a free agent priority for the Jaguars this offseason. However, they should also pursue Hill in free agency. An undrafted free agent in 2015, the Oregon product spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots before joining the Rams in 2016.
Over his five-year career in Los Angeles, Hill has registered 212 total tackles (45 for a loss), 29 passes defensed and seven interceptions. He played a career-high 546 snaps in the slot and has registered Pro Football Focus coverage grades of 73.0 or better in the last three seasons.