Since the Jacksonville Jaguars hired Liam Coen as the head coach early in 2025, defensive end Travon Walker has been the subject of trade speculation. The biggest reason behind the chatter is that the new regime has no attachment to the former Georgia Bulldog, so it wouldn't hesitate to move him. However, the Jags shut down the rumors when they picked up his fifth-year option.
That said, 2026 will be a whole different year, and the Jags will have several tough roster decisions to make. That's led Jeremy Fowler of ESPN to dub Travon Walker a potential trade target for an NFC club.
The Jaguars are being pitched to trade Travon Walker to the Commanders
Jeremy Fowler, along with ESPN colleague Dan Graziano, recently took a look at the buzz across the NFL ahead of Week 15. He argues that the Washington Commanders could target pass rushers who are in their rookie deals but have yet to earn a contract. Travon Walker was among the players Fowler brougth up. Here's the skinny.
"Plenty of pass rushers should be available in free agency, "Fowler wrote. "But Washington could also identify rushers on rookie deals who might want a trade due to inactivity on a contract extension with their current team. The Jaguars' Travon Walker, Giants' Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Jets' Jermaine Johnson are among players on expiring rookie deals who could be 2027 free agents."
The first overall pick in 2022, Walker was seen as an unpolished but talented pass rusher during the draft process. He got off to a slow start to his rookie campaign because he made the switch to standup linebacker after mostly playing with his hand on the ground. However, the Thomaston, Georgia native saw notable improvement in Year 2, registering 10 sacks. He then had 10.5 in the 2024 season despite the fact that he played with extra weight.
Could the Jaguars truly trade Travon Walker?
Although Walker has been hindered by injuries this season, he remains a key cog in the Jacksonville defense. That said, the team's brass hasn't extended him. This could ignite trade speculation in the upcoming months.
The Jaguars seem to be high on Travon Walker. Picking up his fifth-year option is proof of it, and he appears be part of their long-term plans. However, things are always fluid in the NFL, and teams in need of pass rush help won't hesitate to reach out to general manager James Gladstone. This begs the question: Should Jacksonville trade the fourth-year pass rusher?
The Philadelphia Eagles were seen as a landing spot for Walker last offseason, and nobody would bat an eye if they reach out to the Jags in 2026. Similarly, the Commanders could make a bid for him. Now, just because a team calls about a player doesn't mean a deal will get done. More often than not, they're just doing due diligence. Having said that, Gladstone hasn't been afraid to move players to address the larger scale roster. He may be willing to trade Walker if he's made a compelling offer.
But what exactly would be a fair price for Walker? A fourth or third round pick won't certainly be enough. Perhaps a second and a third, or a first-rounder, may convince the Jaguars to part ways with him if the interest is high.
The Commanders may not want to give up their first-round selection in 2026 because it will be in the top 10 — it could be as high as the fifth overall. On top of that, they traded their second-rounder for left tackle Laremy Tunsil earlier this year, so they may not have the draft capital to pull it off. Then again, Washington could always offer a package of players and draft picks.
It's also worth noting that the Jaguars are slated to have just $8 million in space next year. They'll need to free up as much space as they can if they want to lock up some of their pending free agents. Trading Travon Walker would free up a bit over $15 million. Again, he's a cornerstone of the defense, but Jacksonville cannot pay everyone, and linebacker Devin Lloyd and running back Travis Etienne are scheduled to become free agents.
Couple that with the fact that rookie pass rushers Danny Striggow and B.J. Green II have shown improvement as the season progressed, and the Jags may not be fully opposed to trading Travon Walker.
The bottom line is that it currently doesn't look like the Jaguars will move Travon Walker. Heck, they may even extend him to free up cap space, but nobody should be shocked if the Commanders or any other team made an aggressive effort to acquire him in the offseason.