Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 cornerbacks to target ahead of 2021 trade deadline

Jacksonville Jaguars CB trade target No. 5 – Xavien Howard

After asking for a raise this past offseason, cornerback Xavien Howard compromised with the Miami Dolphins and agreed to restructure his contract. However, it was just a temporary solution and the situation is far from resolved, and could still change teams this season. ESPN  recently put together the 2021 Fist-Team All-Pro nod as a potential trade target ahead of the deadline.

Howard has a cap hit of $14 million but the Jaguars have enough space to absorb it. Because of his salary, the Dolphins may not be able to garner anything more than a mid-round pick. If that’s their asking price, general manager Trent Baalke should get on the line with Chris Grier, his counterpart in Miami.

Even though Howard hasn’t been as dominant as he was last season, he’s still among the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Last year, he logged 20 passes defensed and 10 interceptions. Moreover, he allowed a 51 percent completion rate. This season, he’s given up 55 percent of the passes thrown his way, which is still a pretty good mark. On the other hand, he’s posted “only” one interception and six pass deflections.

It was always going to be difficult for Howard to replicate the success he had in 2020. Nevertheless, he would be a significant upgrade in Jacksonville’s cornerback room and one player they should definitely pursue if given the opportunity. If the Jaguars aren’t interested in adding a Howard, here are five more players they could target before the deadline.