Being cut isn't surely the most pleasant feeling but players who don't make the 53-man roster can land on another team's practice squad. In the case of the Jacksonville Jaguars, they have depth at several positions, including tight end, safety, wide receiver, running back, and linebacker. This means the front office will have to make some tough decisions in the next couple of days.
Also, this means players who could easily make the 53-man roster will be left out, and a few of them could be highly coveted in the waiver wire, which means they could have trade value. With this in mind, here are three players the Jaguars could trade before cutdown day.
No. 3 Jaguars player with trade value following the preseason, Seth Williams, WR
The Jaguars may keep five or six wide receivers in 2023. Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Jamal Agnew, and Zay Jones are locks to make the roster. This means there are one or two spots up for grabs and a handful of worthy candidates to seize them.
Tim Jones seems like a good bet to get one after a fruitful preseason. Similarly, the coaching staff seems to be high on rookie Parker Washington. He could be the sixth receiver. Elijah Cooks, Seth Williams, Jacob Harris, and Kendrick Pryor would then be candidates to land in the practice squad.
All of them made an impression in training camp and generally took advantage of their opportunities. If the Jaguars weren't so stacked at wide receiver, it's possible that at least one of them would make the roster.
Williams in particular, had a solid offseason, hauling in seven receptions for 109 yards. He could most definitely help teams in need of depth at wide receiver, such as the Denver Broncos (they drafted Williams in 2021), the Arizona Cardinals of even the Philadelphia Eagles.
No. 2 Jaguars player with trade value following the preseason, Tre Herndon, CB
The Jaguars have built a well-rounded cornerback room over the last two years and they didn't have to invest significant resources to do so. Sure, they did sign Darious Williams last year but other than that, they've focused on developing young players at the position.
This approach has paid off as Montaric Brown and Gregory Junior, two Day 3 picks in last year's draft, seem to be ready to contribute in 2023. Similarly, rookie Christian Braswell looks like a keeper. The depth at cornerback could lead the Jaguars to either shop some of their veterans or get inquiries about them.
In particular, Tre Herndon could be an enticing trade option despite the fact that Jacksonville just re-signed him in the offseason. Back in 2021, general manager Trent Baalke traded Sidney Jones just months after bringing him back. It wouldn't be shocking if he did the same with Herndon this year.
An undrafted free agent in 2018, the Vanderbilt product can line up inside or outside and has starting experience. He's one of the team's longest-tenured players on defense but Jacksonville may need to move on from him to pave the way for their younger corners.
Make no mistake, Herndon is well-regarded in the building but Junior has shown enough progress this offseason and deserves a shot to handle slot duties. Conversely, Herndon could provide depth and experience to teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Green Bay Packers and possibly the Miami Dolphins.
No. 1 Jaguars player with trade value following the preseason: Nathan Rourke, QB
The Jaguars have a top-10 quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and a reliable backup in C.J. Beathard. The expectation is that Lawrence will play every single snap but if he misses time, Beathard can come off the bench and keep the offense afloat. This could pose a conundrum for Jacksonville.
Nathan Rourke signed with the Jaguars earlier this year and he's had a productive preseason. He caught everyone's attention in the opener against the Dallas Cowboys when he escaped the pass rush to connect with running back Quadree Ollison for a touchdown. He's also shown touch and accuracy when given the chance.
This could make him a candidate for the QB2 job if Beathard weren't on the roster, so the Jags will need to decide whether they'll carry Rourke into the season or sign him to the practice squad. An alternative would be to either shop him around or entertain trade offers. Teams in need of a backup quarterback could get on the phone with Trent Baalke and inquire about Rourke.
On one hand, Rourke provides insurance at the most important position on the football field. On the other hand, he might never see the field in Jaguars uniform, so he'll need to compete for the chance to be QB2 somewhere else.
The Atlanta Falcons and the Washington Commanders are still sorting out their respective quarterback rooms and Rourke would probably have the chance to earn the No. 2 job with either team. Again, keeping Rourke around would make sense but if the Jaguars think they can do without him, they should then trade him before the start of the 2023 season.