The Jacksonville Jaguars have made several trades over the last few months. That’s why it wouldn’t be surprising to see them pull off some deals before the deadline to make such moves.
Earlier this year, the Jags traded tight end Josh Oliver to the Baltimore Ravens. They later moved on from linebacker Joe Schobert and quarterback Gardner Minshew. They weren’t done though and they dealt cornerback Sidney Jones to the Seattle Seahawks just before the start of the regular season.
The Jaguars are currently in rebuilding mode and they might be better off trading players that won’t be part of their long-term plan. This could pave the way for some of their young players to take the field while getting something in return.
With that in mind, here are three players the Jaguars should trade in the following weeks.
Player No. 1 the Jacksonville Jaguars should trade – S Andrew Wingard
The Jaguars raised a few eyebrows when they released veteran Jarrod Wilson during the last round of roster cuts. Equally surprising was their decision to give Andrew Wingard the starting nod over rookie Andre Cisco in the season opener.
Wingard made headlines when he registered Jacksonville’s first (and only) turnover of the season. However, he hasn’t done much of note and has played at a replacement level. Over the last five weeks, Dewey has missed ten tackles. That’s simply too much.
Trading him would pave the way for Cisco to start opposite Rayshawn Jenkins. The coaching staff needs to give him a shot to show what he can do.
Player No. 2 the Jacksonville Jaguars should trade – G Andrew Norwell
During the offseason, there were whispers about the Jaguars potentially trading left guard Andrew Norwell. Ultimately, the Ohio State product ended up staying and agreed to restructure his contract.
Norwell has been a staple of the Jaguars’ offensive line since signing a five-year contract in 2018 that made him the highest-paid guard at the time. Even though he hasn’t played at a Pro Bowl level, he’s held his own. The veteran has played 98 percent of the team’s offensive snaps this season and has posted a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 68.3. Moreover, he hasn’t allowed a single sack and has given up just five total pressures.
You could argue that it doesn’t make sense to trade Norwell because he’s having a good year but he’s set to become a free agent next offseason. The Jaguars must revamp their offensive line, and they should consider going younger at guard. Back when they signed Norwell, he was coming off the first and only First-Team All-Pro nod of his career, that’s why he charged a premium rate for his services.
Moving on from Norwell would also allow the coaching staff to develop sophomore offensive guard Ben Bartch. The Jags could trade him to a team in need of offensive line help. The Las Vegas Raiders could be a possibility but Jacksonville should call several teams and see if there’s interest in Norwell.
Player No. 3 the Jacksonville Jaguars should trade – TE Jacob Hollister
After several tries, the Jaguars finally got the tight end position right. During free agency, they locked up Chris Manhertz even though head coach Urban Meyer said they were interested in Dan Arnold. They also brought back James O’Shaughnessy and drafted Luke Farrell.
The team’s brass later signed Tim Tebow but ended up releasing him during the first round of roster cuts. Still needing help at tight end before the start of the season, the Jags signed Jacob Hollister after he was released by the Buffalo Bills. However, the Wyoming product was inactive for the first two weeks.
O’Shaughnessy was the Jaguars’ number one tight end before he suffered a sprained ankle in Week 2. Manhertz got the starting nod the following week but he’s more of a blocking tight end than a passer. Hollister had an unfortunate drop that became an interception against the Cardinals and has seen his playing time decrease after the arrival of Arnold.
Hollister hauled in a key touchdown reception in the Jaguars’ Week 5 loss to the Titans. However, that was his only catch of the game, and it’s uncertain how much playing time he will get in the upcoming weeks.
The Jags could trade Hollister and would still be in good shape at tight end. They already have Arnold, Manhertz, and Farrell. Also, there’s a change O’Shaughnessy returns this season, so the team has options at the position.