Since James Gladstone became their general manager in 2025, the Jacksonville Jaguars haven't been afraid to make trades to address the larger scale roster. They were dealing with injuries on the offensive line just before the Week 2 preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. Gladstone took care of the issue by acquiring right guard Daniel Faalele from the New York Giants in return for a late-round selection in 2027.
With Faalele in the mix, the Jaguars get a much-needed boost on the right side of the offensive line. Patrick Mekari, Walker Little, and Chuma Edoga are currently unavailable, so the veteran hog molly can contribute right off the bat.
This begs the question, just how good the trade was? Here's a breakdown of the move:
Daniel Faalele can immediate help the Jaguars
Patrick Mekari missed the offseason program and training camp with a back injury. Although head coach Liam Coen said he wasn't concerned about the injury, noting that the Jaguars were trying to be smart. But his availability came into question when reports surfaced that Mekari underwent surgery. He could start the regular season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. On the other hand, Cole Van Lanen is still recovering from a knee injury he sustained late in the 2025 season.
To make matters worse, Walker Little and Chuma Edoga are currently available. The former is close to returning to the team but isn't there yet. The latter could miss the remainder of the preseason, so Jacksonville definitely needed reinforcements at the line of scrimmage.
In the midst of injuries, sophomores Jonah Monheim and Wyatt Milum were taking turns at right guard. The fact that the Jaguars traded for Daniel Faalele may be a sign that the team's brass wasn't thrilled with either one.
Granted, Monheim is better suited to play center. On the other hand, Milum was given a chance to seize the right guard job in training camp and was unable to. With Faalele in the mix, he'll probably be relegated to a backup role for the foreseeable future.
Faalele, a fourth-round selection of the Baltimore Ravens in 2202, signed a $1.4 million deal with the Giants in free agency, following head coach John Harbaugh. However, he was stuck behind Francis Mauigoa and Jon Runyan on the depth chart, so he was trending toward being on the roster bubble. The veteran hog molly gets a fresh start in Duval.
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Grade the trade: The Jaguars acquire Daniel Faalele to bolster the offensive line
Daniel Faalele made 32 consecutive starts for the Ravens the past two seasons. He's healthy, and that's something the Jaguars need right now. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher won't make the Pro Bowl anytime soon, but could provide stability at right guard.
Last year, Faalele gave up four sacks and 30 total pressures. Jacksonville could use that kind of performance at right guard, and his salary for 2026 isn't cost-prohibitive. The Jaguars had three extra compensatory picks next year after letting Greg Newsome, Devin Lloyd, and Travis Etienne leave in free agency, so they could definitely afford to part ways with one to acquire Faalele.
When you add it all up, it's fair to conclude that the Jaguars got immediate help on the offensive line at a reasonable price.
Grade: B
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