3 positions the Jaguars need to upgrade before the 2024 NFL trade deadline

The Jacksonville Jaguars find themselves at a pivotal point of the 2024 NFL season. In spite of revamping the roster and the coaching staff in the offseason, they're currently the only winless team in the league.

Injuries have certainly played a role in the subpar record. The same is true for lack of execution and less-than-ideal coaching. Fortunately for the Jags, they have time to turn things around, and adding reinforcements to certain positions groups could help.

General manager Trent Baalke has never shied away from making a trade if he thinks it will give the team a better chance at competing. And if the Jaguars choose to bolster a handful of position groups before the November 5 deadline, he should focus on the following three.

Linebacker

Injuries have ravaged the Jaguars' linebacker corps in recent weeks. Besides placing Foyesade Oluokun on Injured Reserve, Devin Lloyd has been dealing with a knee injury in recent days. While head coach Doug Pederson originally said that it wasn't serious, the 2022 first-round pick ended up sitting out the game against the Houston Texans. As of this writing, he's questionable to play in Week 5.

Without Oluokun, the Jags have leaned on sophomore Ventrell Miller while Chad Muma has filled in for Lloyd. Although they also have Yasir Abdullah in the mix, their current depth at the position is less than ideal. In fact, the team's brass elevated linebacker Tanner Muse from the practice squad to the active roster in consecutive weeks in light of the injuries.

While the situation hasn't reached catastrophe levels, it should at least make the Jags consider trading for help at the position. Miller and Muma will continue to hold the fort but the front office is better off erring on the side of caution and adding depth behind them.

Edge rusher

Josh Hines-Allen entered the concussion protocol in Week 4 and may or may not play against the Indianapolis Colts, but even if he does suit up, the Jaguars' pass rush could use a boost. Travon Walker had two sacks in the opener but has slowed down a bit since then. Behind them, defensive tackle Arik Armstead has gotten snaps on the edge.

The truth is that Armstead is at his best inside, clogging up running games and collapsing the pocket. Maybe the coaching staff is giving him playing time on the edge because they don't feel great about the depth behind them. If that's the case, they shouldn't have traded Trevis Gipson before the regular season started.

Either way, the Jaguars need to bolster their rotation, whether Hines-Allen clears the concussion protocol.

Interior offensive line

The Jaguars gave Trevor Lawrence ample time to throw and the running game was clicking in Week 4. However, the offensive line has left much to be desired. It's hard to tell if its promising play was a sign of things to come and an outlier but Jacksonvillee should consider trading for help.

Ezra Cleveland has been good but not great in 2024. On the other hand, Brandon Scherff has struggled to hit their stride. Behind them is sophomore Cooper Hodges, and if the coaching staff isn't planning to give him a chance to show what he can do, perhaps they should look for outside help.

Now, if the Jaguars do look for reinforcements on the interior offensive line, it won't be because they're dealing with injuries or need depth. Rather, they'll bring in competition to sharpen the rest of the unit.

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