Grade the trade pitch: Jaguars urged give Broncos a call to bolster pass rush

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a pair of dominant pass rushers in Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. Yet, they have struggled to bring the heat in each of their three losses to start the 2024 NFL season. Maybe the front office should consider adding reinforcements before the trade deadline. Alex Ballentine of the Bleacher Report scouting department has a suggestion.

Ballentine put together a list of every team's needs heading into Week 4 and believes the Jags should trade for edge rusher Nik Bonitto, pointing out that the former Oklahoma Sooner has flashed potential but currently isn't much of a factor at Mile High.

"Nik Bonitto had eight sacks last season but hasn't been able to pass Jonathan Cooper or Baron Browning on the depth chart in Denver. He's been relatively quiet early in this season, but the pure pass-rushing skill is there. Perhaps bringing him in would round out the Jaguars room."

A second-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2022, Bonitto registered eight sacks last year but only has one this season. With Baron Browning landing on the Injured Reserve, the third-year pro has taken on a bigger role. That means that there's a strong chance the Broncos won't probably be shipping him right now.

However, once Browning returns to the lineup, Denver could potentially listen to trade offers for Bonitto. Having said that, teams looking to upgrade their pass rush via trade may have a better chance of acquiring Browning when you take into account that Bonitto is a bigger part of the Broncos' defense.

A third-round pick in 2021, Browning hasn't been nearly as productive as Bonitto. This season, he's yet to register a sack and has amassed a combined 9.5 the past two years. He didn't have a single one in his rookie season.

The Jaguars, as a team, have registered five sacks this season. Walker had two of them and Hines-Allen contributed with one. Their 30.0 percent pass-rush win rate ranks 30th in the league after three games. It's fair to say that they could use some help. Right now, Jacksonville's No. 3 in the rotation is Arik Armstead, and he's better suited to play on the interior.

Grade the proposal: The Jaguars trade a 3rd-round pick for Nik Bonitto

For the sake of the argument, let's say the Denver Broncos do entertain trade offers for Nik Bonitto. The Florida native hasn't probably reached his ceiling yet and would improve most team's pass rush potential. Given that he's still on his rookie deal, he would become an appealing target, which is why third and seventh-round picks would get the job done.

The Jacksonville Jaguars acquired an extra third-round pick from the Minnesota Vikings when they moved down six spots in the 2024 NFL Draft. They could use it and throw in a seventh-rounder to acquire Bonitto.

When you take into account that the Jaguars are 0-3 and looking to steer the ship in the right direction, general manager Trent Baalke could be incentivized to upgrade the roster any way he can to try to keep his job beyond 2024.

Ultimately, though, it's hard to see the Broncos placing Nik Bonitto on the trade block because of his upside. Still, getting him in exchange for mid and late-round selections would be a solid investment.

Grade: B

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