The Denver Broncos stunned observers when they traded Devaughn Vele to the New Orleans Saints. After all, they weren't planning on parting ways with the sophomore receiver, but the Saints simply made them an offer they couldn't refuse. Then again, the hefty price they paid makes sense when you take into account that other teams were also interested in acquiring him. One of them was the Jacksonville Jaguars. This, in turn, shouldn't be a surprise in light of the Joshua Cephus news.
Ryan O'Halloran of The Florida Times-Union reports that Broncos head coach Sean Payton revealed in his latest presser that several teams were making a run for Vele, and the Jags were one of them.
In a later tweet, O'Halloran noted that Vele's 6-5 frame garnered interest from other teams, pointing out that Jacksonville lacks size at the receiver position.
Payton added Saints were looking for a "bigger receiver" like the 6-foot-5 Vele. #Jaguars top group of Thomas, Hunter, Brown, Washington are 6-2, 6-0, 6-1, 5-10, respectively. https://t.co/QltHmA6kFo
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) August 21, 2025
After listening to Payton's comments, it's easy to see why Vele netted a fourth-round pick next year and a seventh in 2027. Had the Saints not sweetened their offer, another team could've swooped in and acquired the former Utah Ute.
We’ve agreed to terms on a trade with the New Orleans Saints for a 2026 fourth-round pick and 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for WR Devaughn Vele.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 20, 2025
📰 » https://t.co/f3HbrhaB9c pic.twitter.com/4vHeFKTcYv
Related: It sure looks like the Jaguars are about to unleash the Clemson version of Trevor LawrenceT
The Jaguars want to upgrade their WR room after cutting Joshua Cephus
The Jaguars raised eyebrows when they released sophomore Joshua Cephus ahead of the preseason finale. Then again, they might not have been thrilled with the depth at receiver. Sure, Jacksonville has a talented starting group in Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown, and Parker Washington. Veteran Trenton Irwin is also in the mix, but there's a steep dropoff after him.
Before he got the boot, Cephus seemed like the favorite to get the WR6 after spending his rookie season in the practice squad. With him out of the mix, the most viable in-house candidates to get the nod are veteran Austin Trammell and rookie Eli Pancol. Based on the team's moves, it looks like they may be headed to the practice squad if they go unclaimed on the waiver wire.
Circling back to Devaughn Vele, he would've been a great addition to the Jacksonville receiver corps and would've rounded out what looks to be a promising group. A seventh-round pick in the 2024 draft, he had a promising rookie season, hauling in 41 receptions for 4767 yards with three touchdowns.
All things considered, that's a pretty solid statline coming from a Day 3. And that's why the Broncos wanted to pick him around, but they simply couldn't say no to a pair of draft picks. On top of that, he struggled with an injury in the offseason, and other receivers stepped up for Denver, which is why he became expendable. From the Jags' point of view, though, the cost might've been too high, which is why they ultimately lost the sweepstakes.
In the end, things didn't play out the way the Jaguars surely expected. That said, expect them to continue to look for help at wide receiver. Whether they take a dive on the waiver wire or pull off another preseason trade, they'll be busy ahead of cutdown day.