The Jacksonville Jaguars need reinforcements at defensive tackle. Heck, you could even make the case that it's their biggest need ahead of the draft. This is why it wasn't particularly shocking to see them emerge as a landing spot for Dexter Lawrence, who just requested a trade. Heck, not long after the news broke that the three-time Pro Bowl nod wanted to be traded, it was reported that Jacksonville had reached out to the New York Giants to inquire about his availability.
The fact that Giants head coach John Harbaugh said that "We'll see," if Lawrence will remain with New York did nothing to put the trade rumors to rest. Having said that, don't count on the Jags making a run for him based on general manager James Gladstone's most recent remarks.
The Jaguars not looking to make a move for Dexter Lawrence
James Gladstone, along with head coach Liam Coen, met with the local media ahead of the NFL Draft. He stated that the team hasn't considered trading for Dexter Lawrence, pointing out that the 2019 first-round pick remains under contract.
"That's not something we've gone into," Gladstone responded when asked if the team had called New York or considered making an inquiry about Dexter Lawrence (18:51 mark). "Obviously, he's under contract with them, so not at liberty necessarily to even talk about it"
Lawrence is one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the NFL, which is why he's been looking for a contract adjustment for two years. However, the Giants haven't been in a rush to grant his request, and understandably so. The former Clemson Tiger is coming off a somewhat unremarkable season and hasn't registered a sack in 22 games. This is probably why it may only take a second-round selection or a late first to get a deal done.
Of course, the team that trades for Lawrence will need to give him the raise he's been looking for, but the fact that he could bounce back and once again wreak havoc across the line of scrimmage could make it a risk worth taking.
Why the Jaguas may not be interested in trading for Dexter Lawrence
As dominant as Dexter Lawrence has been, the Jaguars appear to be committed to building to the draft and will only consider taking a big swing if they really have to. Granted, James Gladstone has shown that he's not afraid to make a trade if it's going to raise the team's floor or ceiling. On the other hand, he won't just make a deal for the sake of it.
And make no mistake, Lawrence would turn the Jacksonville defensive line into one of the most terrifying ones in the whole NFL alongside Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. However, Jacksonville may rather stick to the process and draft a defensive tackle (or two).
Of course, plans can always change, and just because James Gladstone says that trading for Dexter Lawrence is not something the Jaguars are considering right now doesn't mean they'll rule it out down the road. For the time being, though, it looks like the team has set its sights on the draft.