5 Jacksonville Jaguars dream targets in 2023 NFL Free Agency
![A Jacksonville Jaguars fan holds up a sign before a regular season NFL football matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]Jki 121822 Cowboys Jags Cp 7](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fhttps-3A-2F-2Fblackandteal-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2017-2F07-2F19646377-850x560-a6360f740b3ace6d83f6ce46d30d38fbd1c7d1e61ff7915b2e11a1ca312823e3.jpg "A Jacksonville Jaguars fan holds up a sign before a regular season NFL football matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]Jki 121822 Cowboys Jags Cp 7")
No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars dream free agent in 2023: Dre’Mont Jones
This will be a great year for teams in need of a quarterback to either get a starter or one of the top backups in the league. Lamar Jackson is going through a contract impasse with the Baltimore Ravens and Derek Carr is free to sign with any club he wants after being released by the Las Vegas Raiders in February. Jacoby Brissett and Jimmy Garoppolo will also be available for those interested in a bridge quarterback.
However, quarterback is the one position the Jaguars don’t have to worry about due to the presence of Trevor Lawrence, who showed meaningful improvement last year. Backing Lawrence up is C.J. Beathard, who isn’t going anywhere after signing a two-year deal not long ago. Their defensive front, on the other hand, could use a boost.
Defensive end Javon Hargrave played for head coach Doug Pederson in 2020 but if he isn’t interested in organizing a reunion, the Jags could then target Dre’Mont Jones, who is expected to become a free agent despite the fact that he’s engaged in positive contract negotiations with the Denver Broncos’ brass.
A third-round selection by the Broncos in 2019, Jones registered 22 sacks over the last four seasons. In that span, he’s logged 138 total pressures (19th best among interior defensive linemen) and posted a pass-rush win rate of 14.5 percent (the 11th best in the league), per Pro Football Focus.
The Jaguars need to get more pressure from their defensive line and Jones would be an excellent addition to their rotation. The only downside — if you want to call it that — of signing him is that PFF projects him to command an annual salary of $14.5 million in the open market. Although that seems like a rather high amount, whoever signs Jones will acquire a top interior defender.