While wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was at the center of trade chatter in the offseason, Walker Little was also brought up as a player who could be shopped. The Jacksonville Jaguars ultimately chose to keep both, and that noise has died down considerably.
Heck, Thomas appears to be a big part of the team's plans for 2026. On the other hand, Little's future with the team isn't nearly as clear.
A second-round pick in 2021, Little gives Jacksonville insurance while Cole Van Lanen recovers from a knee injury. Van Lanen is expected to return for training camp, but it's hard to tell if he'll be 100 percent for the season opener. If he is, would it make sense to trade Little? An NFL analyst shares his thoughts.
The Jaguars could decide to trade Walker Little if Cole Van Lanen is 100%
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports made an appearance on 1010 XL. He said the Jaguars could get a fourth-round selection if they traded Walker Little, but it would only make sense if Cole Van Lanen were fully recovered.
"A four, probably, and if you made that deal, you're also getting that money off your books," Prisco said when asked what Little's trade value is (8:36 mark). "But if you make that deal, you better be 100 percent sure that Van Lanen's ready to go. You're right, though.
Prisco continued, "If somebody has an injury like close to the season, needs a left tackle, they might call and say, 'Hey, we'll give you the four, maybe even more than that for Walker Little, because we need a starting left tackle. You have one,' but by that time, you might know if Van Lanen is ready to go. So I do think if Van Lanen's ready to play, and they know that with certainty, then I think there's a chance they trade him. If not, then I think he has to be here on the roster."
Little signed a three-year deal worth $40.5 million in 2024 but was benched in favor of Van Lanen last season. He's set to have a cap hit of $14.49 million next season, but trading him would free up nearly $12 million in space.
That kind of relief could help the team's brass lock up wide receiver Parker Washington or another of their extension candidates. On the other hand, moving on from Little could potentially leave Jacksonville without depth at left tackle.
The Jaguars may chose not to trade Walker Little until 2027
For the sake of the argument, let's say that Cole Van Lanen is ready to go for Week 1. There's no doubt that the extra cap could come in handy, but it wouldn't make sense to move Little unless the Jaguars think someone else can step in at left tackle in case injuries strike.
Wyatt Milum played left tackle in college, but may be better suited to play inside in the NFL. Another option would be to move right tackle Anton Harrison to the left side, but that would potentially create another void at right tackle. The Jags could plug in veteran Chuma Edoga, but he left much to be desired last year.
When you add it all up, trading Walker Little comes with massive drawbacks, so the Jaguars could ultimately decide to keep him even if Cole Van Lanen is back at full strength. Next year, though, that could be a whole different story.
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