Ladies and gentlemen, defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton is out for the foreseeable future. That's a big blow for multiple reasons. For one, he was playing the best football of his pro career. His work over the nose of the football was one big reason the Jacksonville Jaguars had the top-ranked run defense in the NFL. On the business side, this news is terrible because the 29-year-old is in the final year of his contract.
Without the NFL's best answer to the run game's return to prominence, the Jaguars could be in for a long back half of the season. Obviously, we'd all like James Gladstone to find an answer to this problem now. Unfortunately, Jacksonville's current finances might not allow him to do so. That means Liam Coen and Anthony Campanile will have to hold on to dear life while the front office looks towards the future.
Luckily, the future could be bright because of an athletic stud from the Big 10.
A'Mauri Washington could help the Jaguars erase the league's feature backs
Right now, multiple outlets have Washington ranked as one of the 40 best draft prospects in America. Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano ranked the Oregon defensive tackle 33rd on his list of the Top 100 players hoping to be selected next spring.
In his blurb on Washington, Manzano writes that "The 6'3", 319-pounder knows how to give opposing offensive linemen problems with elite power and burst. He has plenty of experience, appearing in 45 games since arriving at Oregon in 2023.
However, the journalist also says that "[Washington] needs to finish more consistently, considering he has only 1.5 sacks in his collegiate career, including none this season."
Now, before you roast me, we have to remember two things. First, the Jaguars are going to win the AFC South. That means they're going to be hosting a playoff game and, at worst, make their picks in the middle of the draft order. Second, DaVon Hamilton is a run-stopping behemoth who was underappreciated until Jacksonville's recent rise.
Washington could step in and be a Week 1 starter with his experience and skill set. If the Jags decide to fill a major need instead of grabbing the best player available, the Detroit native could give Jacksonville up to five years of relief as they work to address other issues.
And, man, the Jaguars have a lot of issues
The Jags will have to use the draft to improve the roster for the next year or so as it gets its finances right. If Gladstone and his staff decide to move some money around to make a splash trade, they'll probably be looking for a true pass rusher or a dominant man corner. However, those aren't the only position groups that need more depth or a flat-out upgrade.
Eric Murray's recent injury gave Rayuan Lane III an opportunity to have his best performance yet. Time will tell if he can start full-time, but Jacksonville also needs to make a decision on Antonio Johnson and his long-term future. Along with that, Ventrell Miller and Anton Harrison's expiring deals could turn a bad situation into a crisis if they aren't retained.
This is probably when I should be optimistic and say, "At least Gladstone will have a big batch of picks to work with in 2027!" As of now, Jax has nine draft selections, including three compensatory picks. However, six of them are in Rounds 4-7. That means Jimmy Stones will have to find numerous diamonds in the rough and work against his preferred strategy of elevating the floor.
The Jags being a top-heavy outfit isn't a bad thing. That being said, relying so much on your best 15 or so players comes with massive risks. We're seeing the cost of those risks with DaVon Hamilton's situation and, hopefully, we don't have to feel them with Bhayshul Tuten as well.
The front office will be able to solve one problem with the upcoming draft, but it doesn't look like they'll be able to solve them all.
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