Barring a last-minute trade, the Jacksonville Jaguars will enter the 2023 NFL Draft with nine picks. This is great news for a handful of young men that just a few days away from having their life changed.
On the other hand, the team's brass will have to move on from a few players to make room for the rookie class. In particular, these four could be replaced during or after the draft.
Jacksonville Jaguars player 4 that could be replaced in the draft: Jordan Smith
Outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson, the 20th overalll pick in 2020, has been the subject of trade talks for the last two years but there's another edge rusher whose days in Jaguars uniform might be numbered and that's Jordan Smith.
A fourth-round pick in 2021, Smith was a healthy scratch for most of his rookie campaign, suiting up for just two games and appearing in 21 defensive snaps. The former UAB Blazer was expected to make a leap in Year 2 but instead suffered a knee injury during OTAs that ended his season before it even started.
It's possible that the Jaguars hold onto Smith to see if he can develop into a steady rotational player. However, there's an equal chance that Jacksonville move on from him, especially if they choose a pass rusher early in the draft.
All things considered, this feels like a coin toss and the Jags will cut ties with either Chaisson or Smith given the lack of impact both have had the last two years. Then again, Chaisson probably has a better chance of sticking around by virtue of being a former first-round pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars player 3 that could be replaced in the draft: Gerrit Prince
General manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson held a pre-draft media availability session and had the change to touch on several topics, including the current state of the tight end room.
Baalke said that the organization feels comfortable with their group of tight ends, possibly implying that they won't use an early draft pick on the position. However, that doesn't mean they'll fully neglect it. In fact, they could wait until the third round and still find a tight end with starting potential.
Whether the Jaguars draft a tight end or not, Evan Engram won't likely be affected. He's at the top tight end on the depth chart and he's set to be on the roster for the 2023 season. However, the same can't be said about other tight ends on the roster, more specifically, Gerrit Prince, who joined the Jags as an undrafted free agent last year.
Prince originally played wide receiver when he attended community college but switched to tight end when the transferred to UAB. The Kansas native has good hands and ran solid routes in college but he lacks strength and needs to improve his blocking skills.
Like any other developmental prospect, the Jaguars might keep Prince around to see if he can become a solid backup. Moreover, Engram and Luke Farrell are the only other tight ends on the Jags' roster. This in turn could help Prince to stay for at least one more year in Jacksonville.
Having said that, Prince could be on his way out if the Jags end up taking a tight end, even if it's with a late-round pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars player 2 that could be replaced in the draft: Tre Herndon
Cornerback Tre Herndon has shown throughout his career that hard work pays off. An undrafted free agent in 2018, he was mostly relegated to special teams duty in his rookie campaign but he worked his way up the depth chart and joined the Jaguars' starting lineup in his sophomore season.
Herndon went on to start 26 games for the Jags and was set to be line up in the slot in 2021. However, he suffered an MCL injury in the preseason that forced him to sit out a handful of games. When he returned, he wasn't fully healthy, which affected hi performance and promted the coaching staff to keep him on the sidelines.
Nevertheless, the Jaguars brought Herndon back last offseason. He eventually replaced Shaquill Griffin and saw extended time at nickel. Although he wasn't great, he was solid enough to hold the fort. Once again, the team's brass re-signed him earlier this year but he won't probably see the field much in 2023 if the Jags select a cornerback early in the draft.
One thing that could help Herndon from being a draft casualty is that releasing him would leave $1.3 million in dead money. And if Jacksonville does keep him around, maybe they'll part ways with Chris Claybrooks, who's in the last year of his rookie deal and recently involved in an off-field incident just a few days away.
Jacksonville Jaguars player 1 that could be replaced in the draft: Ben Bartch
This may feel like an overreaction after hearing Doug Pederson say that left guard Ben Bartch is still rehabbing the knee injury he suffered last year and might not be ready for the start of training camp. But even if Bartch were fully healthy, there are reasons to believe he could be replaced in the draft.
For starters, Bartch is entering the last year of his rookie deal and there's a chance he might not be part of the team's long-term plans. A fourth-round pick in 2020, the former St. John Johnny has progressively gotten better and he's seen his playing time increase.
Having said that, Bartch isn't a franchise building block, and even if he were, he's not exempt from losing his job due to injuries. Does that sound harsh? Totally but that's the nature of the NFL.
Unless you're Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady, you're one injury away from getting benched (or released). Heck, Drew Bledsoe lost his job to Brady back in 2021.
During his exchange with the media, Trent Baalke revealed that the Jaguars are targeting three players in the first round and one of them is Florida offensive guard O'Cyrus Torrence. If he's the pick at No. 24, he could challenge Bartch for the starting job at left guard.
It's true that Torrence mostly lined up at right guard in college but that's the position Brandon Scherff plays, so he would probably switch to the left side. And that's the outcome, Bartch could spend the 2023 season on the bench.