The Jacksonville Jaguars would've loved to re-sign Devin Lloyd in free agency, but they were never going to be able to match the three-year, $45 million deal the Carolina Panthers gave him. Now, the front office will have to look for his replacement. Based on Liam Coen's latest remarks, the team believes 2023 fourth-round pick Ventrell Miller is up to the challenge. That said, nobody will bat an eye if the Jags use a draft pick on a linebacker. Jacob Rodriguez in Round 2 would make sense.
Rodriguez could come in and start at the linebacker spot next to Foyesade Oluokun right off the bat. The issue is that Jacksonville isn't the only team in need at linebacker, so there's a chance that Rodrigue might not make it to No. 56. His latest pre-draft visit is proof of it.
The Bengals just held a pre-draft visit with Jacob Rodriguez
Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that Jacob Rodriguez is on a visit with the Cincinnati Bengals. This meeting makes sense when you take into acount that Cincy has needed reinforcements at linebacker after letting Germaine Pratt leave last offseason.
Rodriguez lacks top athleticism but has sideline-to-sideline range and somehow manages to put himself in a position to make tackles nobody else can make. Although he could go in the first round, he's expected to land in the second Round 2.
Aside from the Bengals, the Atlanta Falcons and the Indianapolis Colts are other teams that could target Rodriguez in the second round. All three clubs pick before Jacksonville.
The silver lining is that the Jaguars may afford to pass on the Texas Tech product.
Why the Jaguars will be fine if they pass on Jacob Rodriguez
As noted before, the Jaguars have Ventrell Miller in the mix. Back in 2024, he made nine starts and even outplayed Devin Lloyd. You could make the case that his injury history has held him back, but the former Florida Gator has managed to stay healthy. Moreover, he's flashed the past two years enough to make you think that Jacksonville won't miss a beat without Lloyd.
On top of that, the Jags have depth at linebacker. Aside from Miller and Foyesade Oluokun, Yasir Abdullah, Branson Combs, veteran Dennis Gardeck, and sophomore Jack Kiser are in the mix. Having said that, the Jaguars could use depth at the position, but because they have bigger needs, they may need to wait until the later rounds to add reinforcements.
Once general manager James Gladstone takes care of the defensive front and the pass rush, he could definitely afford to use a draft pick on a linebacker prospect on Day 3. In fact, he could use one of the team's three picks in the third round if he thinks there's a prospect talented enough at that point of the draft.
Sure, it would be great if the Jaguars could take Jacob Rodriguez at No. 56, but barring a trade, that's unlikely to happen. The good news is that they can afford to address other positions because their linebacker corps is in good shape even after Devin Lloyd's departure.