Heading into the 2021 season, wide receiver looked like the Jacksonville Jaguars’ strongest positional group. After six weeks of NFL football, that still seems to be the case even without DJ Chark Jr. who suffered an ankle fracture back in Week 4.
Marvin Jones Jr. has stepped up and quickly become the teams’ top receiving option, hauling in 28 receptions for 343 yards and three touchdowns in 2021. Against the Miami Dolphins, he had a season-high seven receptions for 100 yards and found the end zone once. Laviska Shenault Jr. isn’t far behind and is developing into a solid number two. Jamal Agnew has also shown he can be a difference-maker on both offense and special teams.
Nevertheless, the team’s brass could still make a few additions before the trade deadline to bolster the unit. That’s why the Jaguars must consider trading for any of these wide receivers.
Jacksonville Jaguars WR trade target No. 1 – James Washington
James Washington has become a trendy name ahead of the trade deadline because rumors about him requesting a trade surfaced in the offseason. In the end, he remained with the Pittsburgh Steelers but hasn’t had a prominent role on offense this year. So far, he’s appeared in five games and has hauled in 10 receptions for 108 yards and no touchdowns.
A second-round pick in 2017, Washington is currently the sixth receiving option in Pittsburgh, and it doesn’t look like his playing time will increase anytime soon. If the Steelers aren’t interested in giving him a bigger workload, they may be better off shipping him to a team that will use him more.
Jacksonville Jaguars WR trade target No. 2 – Denzel Mims
Denzel Mims’ NFL career is off to a slow start even though he was a hot wide receiver prospect coming out of Baylor. In 24 games with the New York Jets, he’s logged 26 receptions for 357 yards for 430 yards and no touchdowns. This season, he’s appeared in just 12 percent of the Jets’ offensive snaps. That’s not probably the kind of production the Jets expected when they made him the 49th overall pick in last year’s draft.
Things won’t get better for Mims. He’s currently the fourth or fifth receiver on New York’s depth chart. Maybe he’s not a good fit, or the coaching staff might not think highly of him. Regardless of the reason for his lack of production, a change of scenery could be what he needs to get his pro career going.
As recently as four weeks ago, teams were calling New York to inquire about Mims’ availability but they were turned away. At the time, Mike Garafolo of NFL Media hinted there might have been a divide between how the coaching staff and management see the 2020 second-round pick.
That was then though. It’s possible that New York has changed their stand, and is more receptive to listening to offers. That’s why it doesn’t hurt the Jaguars to ask. The only downside of trading for Mims is he would be more of a developmental project and not an instant contributor in Jacksonville.
Having said that, it’s telling that the second-year wide receiver is getting so much interest ahead of the trade deadline. In fact, other clubs may value him more highly than the Jets.
Jacksonville Jaguars WR trade target No. 3 – Brandin Cooks
It’s a bit surprising that Brandin Cooks doesn’t get as much attention as other wide receivers despite the fact that he’s been pretty reliable throughout his NFL career. The fact that he’s been somewhat nomadic and has already changed teams four times since 2014 could be a reason why. Then again, counting the number of clubs he’s played for isn’t relevant when assessing his performance on the football field.
Cooks has posted five 1,000-yard seasons and he’s on pace to register the sixth one. For his career, he’s averaging a healthy 14 yards per catch. He is one of the few players the Houston Texans currently have on the roster but he may not be part of their long-term plans.
Houston currently holds a 1-5 record and having Brooks on the roster may not make much of a difference. In fact, the Texans may decide that it’s better to start preparing for next year and begin collecting as many assets as they can ahead of time.
Trades within the division aren’t common but the Jaguars need to give the Texans a call. Brooks could immediately give Jacksonville’s offense a boost. The Jags have improved in recent weeks, so why not give quarterback Trevor Lawrence another weapon and get even better?
Brand Spielberger of Pro Football Focus believes Houston can get a 2022 second-round pick and a fifth-rounder in 2023 for Cooks. That may be a bit too steep but if they are willing to lower their asking price, the Jaguars should consider giving them a call.
Jacksonville Jaguars WR trade target No. 4 – Michael Gallup
The 2021 Dallas Cowboys aren’t flawless but they look good and have the top-scoring offense in the NFL after six weeks of football. One of the reasons is the return of Dak Prescott, who is playing at a high level. He’s coming off a torn ACL and dealt with a shoulder injury in the preseason. This makes his comeback even more impressive.
Other quarterbacks could be jealous of Prescott’s having such a wide array of weapons in the passing game. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is living up to his first-round billing, hauling in 33 receptions for 497 yards and four touchdowns. Tight end Dalton Schultz is second in receptions with 31 and Amari Cooper ranks third with 30. On the other hand, there aren’t enough targets left for Michael Gallup.
Back in 2019, it seemed like Gallup was on his way to becoming the Cowboys’ number one receiver, catching 66 passes for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns. Even last season, he was still pretty productive in spite of Dallas’ inconsistency at quarterback, registering a respectable 59 receptions for 843 yards and five trips to the end zone.
However, the 2018 second-round pick has been limited to four catches and 36 yards this season. Gallup’s position is less than ideal. He’s in a contract year and instead of showing he deserves to cash in, he’s stuck in the cellar of the Cowboys’ wide receiver depth chart. He would surely like to be offered the opportunity to make plays and the Jaguars could grant him that chance.
Jacksonville Jaguars WR trade target No. 5 – Jarvis Landry
Odell Beckham Jr. probably has the bigger profile but Jarvis Landry is arguably the Cleveland Browns’ best and most reliable wide receiver. This one may be a long shot but it’s worth exploring. After all, you should always shoot for the moon.
Landry has quietly put together a fine NFL career. Did you know he has earned five Pro Bowl designations? The Florida product isn’t in the same echelon as Julio Jones or DeAndre Hopkins but he’s been pretty productive. Since being drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft, he’s hauled in 642 receptions for 7,108 yards and 35 touchdowns. Moreover, he’s had two 100-catch seasons.
Earlier this year, he sprained a knee ligament. He was placed on the injured reserve list and missed four weeks. However, the Browns activated him ahead of their game against the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football.
The Browns lost but Landry went on to catch five receptions for 37 yards. Cleveland may not want to part ways with their best receiver but they may not be able to afford him next season, as they will need cap space to pay players such as quarterback Baker Mayfield and cornerback Denzel Ward.
There’s a chance Cleveland would want to trade Beckham before Landry but the former hasn’t lived up to the reputation he built as a playmaker early in his career. The Browns could ask for a second-round pick in exchange for Landry but he would be worth it.