The Jacksonville Jaguars could use help at cornerback this offseason. Montaric Brown and Greg Newsome are scheduled to become free agents, and there's a chance both will leave. A solution would be to give sophomore Travis Hunter more time on defense, but the team's brass shouldn't pass up the chance to add depth at the position.
The best route to bring in reinforcements would be the NFL Draft, but an NFL analyst just offered the Jags an intriguing option to bolster the cornerback position.
The Jaguars are being urged to trade for Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey
Following the loss to the Buffalo Bills, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report took a look at the Jags' most pressing needs. He suggested they trade for Marlon Humphrey to fortify their cornerback room, noting that he's entering a contract year but could provide immediate help. Here's the skinny.
"Should a veteran corner, like Marlon Humphrey of the Baltimore Ravens, become available, Gladstone should be very interested," Knox wrote. "Humphrey is set to carry a $26.3 million cap hit in 2026, has a $4 million roster bonus due on the fifth day of the new league year, and is set to be a free agent in 2027. He'll be a name to watch, though adding him would require a new or revised contract that includes a lower 2026 cap number."
The Ravens just dismissed head coach John Harbaugh, and whoever they hire as his replacement will have his own vision. This could make veterans such as Humphrey expendable.
Humphrey has a base salary of $15.250 million and a roster bonus of $4 million, so the Jaguars would most definitely have to rework his deal. The issue is that even if you put the cap hurdles aside, he wasn't very good in 2025.
A first-round pick in 2017, Humphrey has made the Pro Bowl four times in his career and earned a First-Team All-Pro designation in 2024. However, he's coming off an underwhelming season in which he gave up a staggering 914 yards and posted a concerning Pro Football Focus overall grade of 49.9.
Following the season, Humphrey acknowledged that his play left much to be desired, and it's fair to wonder if he's lost a step. Perhaps he could benefit from a change of scenery, but there's no doubt that trading for him would be a high-risk move.
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Why it doesn't make sense for the Jaguars to trade for Marlon Humphrey
The loss to the Buffalo Bills exposed the Jaguars' need at cornerback, with quarterback Josh Allen having no trouble moving the football. Not surprisingly, the team cut ties with secondary coach Ron Milus. Next, the Jags will need to add reinforcements in the offseason, especially if Montaric Brown leaves.
The issue with trading for Marlon Humphrey is that the Jaguars are $17 million over the cap, so they would need to make several roster moves to free up space and take on his contract. On top of that, they would need to give up draft picks to get a deal done. And precisely because they're dealing with a cap crunch, it makes no sense to part ways with their draft picks.
Perhaps if Humphrey had a better 2025, the trade would make sense. Sure, it would be costly to land him, but it would be worth it. But that's not the case. He struggled last year, so he might not be that much of an upgrade.
The bottom line is that the Jaguars will probably have better options to fortify their cornerback room in the offseason. And most of them will be cheaper, so they would likely pass on Marlon Humphrey if he's available.