Jaguars 2022 NFL Draft: Trading the No.1 overall pick makes sense

You can probably count the number of franchise building blocks the Jacksonville Jaguars currently have on their roster with the fingers of one hand and you might have a couple to spare. That’s why they need to use their cap space and all their draft selections to acquire as many playmakers as possible this offseason, and if they can trade the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft for a few extra selections, they should go ahead and do it.

Mike Giardi of NFL Media says that at least two teams in the top 15 of the draft believe the Jags are going to shop the first overall selections. It’s uncertain who these clubs are but general manager Trent Baalke told the media at the Scouting Combine that they’re open for business, so it’s possible that he might have told other executives that Jacksonville intends to move out of the top spot or maybe he got inquiries about potentially trading up. Either way, this is a smart move by the Jaguars’ brass. After all, most of their positional groups could use upgrades.

On the other hand, the Jaguars may not get a premium value of the No. 1 because there is no surefire prospect in this year’s draft, and if they are going to get a fair offer to move down, they might as well keep the selection.

The Jaguars need to draft as many playmakers as possible in 2022.

Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson or Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal could come in and have an impact from Day 1 but the Jaguars aren’t one or two players away from competing for a playoff berth. Years of poor decision-making have left the roster devoid of talent. Although Jacksonville has a potential franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, they are lacking a bonafide number one receiver, a dominant pass rusher opposite outside linebacker Josh Allen.

Moreover, left tackle Cam Robinson, left guard Andrew Norwell, and right guard A.J. Cann are set to become free agents, so the Jags will need to revamp their offensive line. That’s why it makes sense for the Jags to move down a few spots in the draft, get more selections and land a playmaker.

Let’s say the Jaguars stay in the top 10 —  maybe No. 4 or No. 5 — they could still have a shot at drafting a top prospect. Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, North Carolina State left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, Michigan edge rusher David Ojabo or even Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton all might be available by then. All things considered, the downside of giving up the first overall pick would be minimal.

The Jaguars made the right decision when they hired Doug Pederson as their head coach but he alone can’t win games. General manager Trent Baalke now needs to get him good players and he can get a few more by trading away the No. 1 pick, they should go ahead and do it.