The Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t off to a good start in 2021, losing their first three games of the season. However, they aren’t giving up just yet and are looking for ways to improve. That’s why they traded cornerback C.J. Henderson to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for tight end Dan Arnold.
Should the Jags lock up Arnold back in free agency? Definitely, signing him wasn’t cost-prohibitive. Also, they wouldn’t have had to part ways with Henderson. Hindsight is 20/20 but they dropped the ball on this one. In fact, it’s possible that they wouldn’t have brought in Tim Tebow for a workout nor added Jacob Hollister after the roster cuts if they had signed Arnold in free agency.
Head coach Urban Meyer says Arnold will suit up against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football. He might not start but should see a significant amount of playing time. The Jags need a reliable target at tight end and Arnold could be it.
On the other hand, it could be argued that the team’s brass wasn’t patient with Henderson. He’s dealt with injuries and was placed on the COVID-19 list during the summer, but he isn’t lacking talent. The case could be made that the current regime inherited the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft and wasn’t a fit but you just don’t trade your best players.
Panthers head coach Matt Rhule recently told the media that they’ve liked Henderson for a long time. Maybe the corner is finally able to reach his potential. In the meantime, here are the winners and losers of the trade.
These three will benefit from the CJ Henderson trade.
1. Tyson Campbell, cornerback
It looks like the coaching staff is committed to making sure rookie cornerback Tyson Campbell thrives. With C.J. Henderson out of the picture and no other option on the outside, the former Bulldog seems poised to play on the boundaries.
Campbell handled slot duties while Tre Herndon nursed an MCL injury. If Herndon is ready to go for the Jags’ Week 4 matchup, he will most likely line up at nickel and Campbell will stay outside. The 33rd overall pick in the 2021 draft has been far from great, but he’s got nowhere to go but up.
2. Trevor Lawrence, quarterback
The Jaguars know they need to build around rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence if they want to put him in a position to succeed. The former Clemson Tiger has a well-rounded wide receiver corps at his disposal but lacks a reliable target at tight end.
In the first two games of the season, Lawrence targeted James O’Shaugnessy nine times. It’s clear he likes to throw to his tight ends but rookie Luke Farrell and Chris Manhertz aren’t reliable options in the passing game right now. The two have a combined three receptions for 27 yards in three games. Don’t be surprised if Lawrence targets Arnold early and often on Thursday night football.
3. CJ Henderson, cornerback
As head coach Urban Meyer said, C.J. Henderson will have a fresh start after missing a good chunk of the offseason program. The former Gator could start in Carolina right off the bat, and there’s a chance he plays up to his draft billing.
It’s kind of surprising that the Jaguars gave up on a top 10 pick after less than two years but they believe that moving on from him is in the best interest of the team.
These Jacksonville Jaguars were affected by the CJ Henderson trade.
1. Jacob Hollister, tight end
Heading into the regular season, the Jaguars signed Jacob Hollister after being released by the Buffalo Bills. At the time, it looked like this signing would have an immediate impact. But the Wyoming product was inactive in the first two games of the season and finally made his debut with the Black and Teal in Week 3. Let’s say things didn’t go the way the organization probably expected.
Hollister dropped a pass that turned into a costly interception. He played 68 percent of the team’s offensive snaps against the Cardinals but that amount might drop considerably in Week 4 with Dan Arnold now on the roster.
2. Tim Walton, secondary coach
Earlier this year, the Jaguars’ cornerback room looked like a strength. After all, the team’s brass had brought back Tre Herndon and Sidney Jones. They also signed Shaquille Griffin and drafted Tyson Campbell. That’s no longer the case after trading both Jones and CJ Henderson.
The Jags now lack depth at the position, and secondary Tim Walton is running out of good players to coach. It’s his job to make chicken salad with what he has but the front office isn’t giving him much help. On the bright side, if the current group shines, it will reflect well on Walton.
Griffin had an outstanding performance against the Cardinals, limiting All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to three catches for 26 yards on six targets, Walton’s coaching must’ve played a role.