For the second time in less than a month, talks about the Jacksonville Jaguars potential trading wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. have surfaced. First, Michael DiRocco of ESPN reported the Jags could move him. And now, Ben Standig of The Athletic says the wide receiver could be on the trade block.
While several NFL teams went on to sign a wide receiver in free agency, there are others that could get help at the positions, and that’s where Shenault comes in. A second-round pick in the 2022 draft, the Colorado product showed promise as a rookie, hauling in 58 receptions for 600 yards with five touchdowns. However, he had a down sophomore campaign, catching 63 passes but averaging less than 10 yards per reception. Moreover, he didn’t reach the end zone once in 2021.
The Jaguars shouldn’t move on from Shenault even though they signed Zay Jones and Christian Kirk in free agency. While they have a crowded wide receiver room, Viska is just 23 and has previously shown flashes. But if general manager Trent Baalke is determined to trade him, here are four teams that should pick up the phone and inquire about him.
No. 1 team that could trade for Jaguars WR Laviska Shenault – The Chiefs.
The Kansas City Chiefs may be the most logical trade destination for Shenault, especially when you take into account that they just sent All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. In fact, Jordan Schultz of the Pull Up Podcast reports that the Chiefs already inquired about Shenault.
With Demarcus Robinson joining the Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City needs to get weapons for Patrick Mahomes. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman and tight end Travis Kelce are still on the Chiefs roster, but they will need more firepower if they don’t want to fall behind in a stacked AFC West.
No. 2 team that could trade for Jaguars WR Laviska Shenault – The Packers.
The Chiefs aren’t the only team that recently traded their top wide receiver. Just a few days ago, the Green Bay Packers got first and second-round picks in exchange for Davante Adams. They also let Marquez Valdes-Scantling walk away in free agency and a reunion seems unlikely at this point.
The Packers just made a big commitment to Aaron Rodgers, giving him a three-year contract worth $150.8 million. Allocating so much money to the quarterback position means general manager Brain Gutekunst can’t invest in others, which is one of the reasons why they had to release outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith and haven’t brought back Valdes-Scantling.
Green Bay currently holds picks No. 22, 28, 53, and 59 in the 2022 NFL Draft and there’s a good chance they could use one or even two on a wide receiver but they could also inquire about Shenault. It’s uncertain what his value is right now but the Jaguars could certainly push for a second-round selection.
Rodgers hasn’t shown any notable signs of slowing down and the Packers aren’t rebuilding, which means they need to acquire as much proven talent as possible if they want to take advantage of their window to compete. If they can fix their special teams and add a couple of weapons on offense, they may just be able to take on the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams.
No. 3 team that could trade for Jaguars WR Laviska Shenault – The Bears.
The Jaguars aren’t the only team with a new head coach and a second-year quarterback in place. The Chicago Bears (and the Houston Texans) also fit the description and could use some help at wide receiver. Darnell Mooney had a breakout season in 2021, hauling in 81 receptions for 1,055 yards with four touchdowns.
The Bears felt so good about Mooney that they moved on from Allen Robinson this offseason. However, they need to get more receivers if they want to put Justin Fields in a position to succeed. Last season, tight end Cole Kmet was second in catches, and running back David Montgomery was third. While Chicago may have other needs, such as center and cornerback, they can’t neglect their wide receivers corps this offseason.
The Bears finished third in the NFC North last offseason and if they want to fend off the Detroit Lions and compete with the Minnesota Vikings and the Packers, they need to bolster their offense and that includes the wide receiver position.
Even though Matt Eberflus has a defensive background, he doesn’t look like the kind of head coach that would overlook the offensive of the ball. That’s why he should ask general manager Ryan Poles to call the Jaguars and ask how much they want in exchange for Laviska Shenault.
No. 4 team that could trade for Jaguars WR Laviska Shenault – Commanders.
They say that the third time is the charm and that’s probably what the Washington Commanders expect after trading for Carson Wentz. Last season, they lost Ryan Fitzpatrick to injury in the season opener and Tyler Heinicke was their starting quarterback the remainder of the year.
It seems like the Commanders have seen enough from Heinicke and don’t think of him as the long-term solution at quarterback. Why would they have traded for Wentz if that wasn’t the case? However, it’s not a given that the North Dakota State product will come in and turn Washington into a contender.
Wentz is already in his third team in as many years and is coming off a season in which he couldn’t get the Indianapolis Colts over the hump. The fact that head coach Frank Reich, his biggest supporter gave up on him after just one year should be a cause for concern for the Commanders. Wentz reportedly lacks leadership skills and isn’t fond of hard coaching.
Having said that, Wentz has plenty of talent, which is why Washinton took a chance on him. If they want him to make the most of his opportunity, they will need to upgrade their wide receivers corps and get someone besides Terry McLaurin, their only reliable weapon in the passing game.