After months of speculation, the Jacksonville Jaguars have officially traded wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. to the Carolina Panthers. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media first reported the move and the Jags later announced it on their official website.
This move shouldn’t come as a surprise though, as Jacksonville tried to shop Viska earlier this year and he was seen as a potential trade target ever since. With that in mind, here are three takeaways from the Shenault trade.
3. The Jaguars saw enough of Laviska Shenault before trading him
At first sight, the decision to trade Shenault could be a bit surprising but the truth is that the Jaguars didn’t just wake up today and decided to send him packing to the Panthers. Once a trade didn’t materialize in March, they gave him a chance to make in an impression in training camp. However, the former Colorado Buffalo couldn’t seize the opportunity and got lost in the shuffle.
A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Shenault was seen as a candidate to have a breakout year in 2021 after tallying 58 catches for 600 yards with five touchdowns the season before. Nevertheless, he didn’t live up to the hype and had an underwhelming sophomore campaign.
Once the Jags signed Christian Kirk and Zay Jones in free agency, it was clear Shenault was going to need to fight for playing time. He was even given a look as a kick returner but he didn’t thrive in either role. In the preseason, the player nicknamed Shenaugthy by Nature hauled in three receptions for 26 yards and miffed one of the two punts he fielded.
That seemed to have been enough for the Jaguars’ brass to pull the plug on Shenault.
2. The depth at receiver allowed the Jaguars to trade Laviska Shenault
This writer saw wide receiver as one of the Jaguars’ strongest position groups ahead of the 2022 season. Not because it was among the best in the league but rather because of its depth, which was on display when they released Laquon Treadwell and later traded Laviska Shenault Jr.
The Jags didn’t pay a premium for Christian Kirk and Zay Jones to keep them on the bench. Given the size of the contract they both signed, they are expected to take on big roles in 2022. Moreover, the two of them have developed a nice rapport with Trevor Lawrence over the last few months. Meanwhile, Shenault mostly got second-team reps in training camp, which was an early sign that he was tumbling down the depth chart.
Then, there’s the return of Marvin Jones Jr. and Jamal Agnew. The former led the Jags in catches with 73 for 832 yards with four touchdowns last year while the latter because a key cog on offense before suffering a season-ending hip injury. Kirk, the two Joneses, and Agnew got the four top spots on the depth chart. Furthermore, Shenault was going to have trouble getting snaps in 2022 with the emergence of Tim Jones in the preseason.
Jones hauled in three catches for 103 receiving yards against the Atlanta Falcons and finished the preseason with 14 receptions for 219 yards. The Jaguars’ brass probably liked his potential and saw him as a better fit than Shenault.
1. GM Trent Baalke is putting his own stamp on the Jaguars roster
Trent Baalke became the Jaguars’ interim general manager when Dave Caldwell was fired late in 2020 and was later promoted full-time early in 2021. Since then, Baalke has gone on to get rid of several players his predecessor acquired. This isn’t particularly shocking, there’s always turnover on a roster from one year to another, especially when there’s a regime change, which is what happened in Jacksonville.
However, Caldwell’s track record of identifying talent wasn’t particularly enticing, which has made it easier for Baalke to pull the plug on several players he inherited. Laviska Shenault Jr. is the most recent example but the general manager also traded cornerback C.J. Henderson just one year after making him the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft. Similarly, the Jags’ front office traded tight end Josh Oliver last offseason even though he was drafted in 2019.
It’s also worth noting that this is Baalke’s first year truly in control of the Jaguars’ front office. Although he oversaw last year’s moves in free agency and the 2021 draft, Urban Meyer surely had an influence on the team’s decision-making. With Meyer out of the picture, Baalke can freely do what he thinks is in the team’s best interest.
Sure, Baalke surely listens to Doug Pederson’s input and the two seem to be getting along well. However, this is now Baalke’s show and he will now have the chance to redeem himself after a tumultuous 2021 season.