4 offseason trades the Jacksonville Jaguars can make to immediately get better

3. Mike Hughes, cornerback

The Jaguars hired Ryan Nielsen as their defensive coordinator because they thought his predecessor, Mike Caldwell, wasn't getting the most out of his unit. Among the issues Nielsen will need to focus on will be cutting down on the number of missed tackles and blown assignments. Working in his favor is that he'll have ample talent to work with. Having said that, he'll probably want to bring players he's coached in his previous stops, the Atlanta Falcons, and the New Orleans Saints.

Bud Dupree, Calais Campbell, and Jeff Okudah all played for Nielsen during his stint with the Atlanta Falcons. All of them could join him in Jacksonville, but there's another player he may pound the table for, cornerback Mike Hughes.

Hughes, a first-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2018, spent a season with the Detroit Lions before landing in Atlanta last year. Although he didn't get much playing time early on, he eventually replaced Dee Alford in the slot, and played well, giving up just 10 receptions on 18 targets for 125 yards.

The Jaguars already have a nickel in veteran Tre Herndon. However, he's slated to become a free agent. While there's a chance he will be back, Nielsen might want to bring one of his guys, and trading for Hughes wouldn't probably cost much. He's set to count $3.7 million in 2024 but the Falcons could free up $3.09 million with just $750,000 in dead money.

That extra savings, along with the arrival of new head coach Raheem Morris, may incentivize Atlanta to trade Hughes.