Jaguars tipped to make middling trade to bolster cornerback room

The Jacksonville Jaguars have put together a well-rounded cornerback room. They have a pair of dependable starters in Tyson Campbell and grizzled veteran Roland Darby, and an ascending talent in rookie Jarrian Jones, who has been working his way up the depth chart in the offseason. Nevertheless, the national media believes the position is a need for the Jags, and Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report recently offered a suggestion to address it.

Ballentine looked at every NFL's biggest need ahead of the preseason and a potential fix. He thinks the Jaguars should upgrade their cornerback group and suggest they pursue Mike Jackson via trade, pointing out that they should prioritize the position when clubs start to trim down their roster.

"The Jaguars should have their eyes on the waiver wire as teams start to cut down their rosters from 90 to 53 over the course of training camp. They should be one of the first teams to pursue a quality cornerback that comes along. Right now, the best move might be to swing a trade for one.

Mike Jackson of the Seahawks would be a logical target. They have a bit of a surplus of cornerbacks with Tre Brown, Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon and they drafted Nehemiah Pritchett. The Jags would benefit by convincing them to send them Jackson."

A fifth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys, Jackson needed time to hit his stride, spending time with the New England Patriots and the Detroit Lions to start his career. It wasn't until he joined the Seattle Seahawks in 2021 that he put it all together, and even that year, he didn't do much of note. Over the past two seasons, though, the Miami standout accrued 32 games with 21 starts, along with one interception, and 17 passes defensed.

Overall, Jackson is the kind of player who won't make many big plays but will deliver when called upon. However, he might've become expendable in Seattle after the arrival of rookies Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James.

Grade the trade proposal: The Jaguars acquire Mike Jackson from the Seahawks

Like the Seahawks, the Jaguars have a surplus at cornerback beyond their starting trio. Montaric Brown, Christian Braswell, Gregory Junior, and Deantre Prince are all competing for a roster spot. Veteran Tevaugh Campbell is also in the mix but you could make the case that he's farther behind.

Either way, Jacksonville currently isn't in need of cornerback help. As a matter of fact, they've been urged to trade for Marshon Lattimore or teammate Paulson Adebo at different points of the offseason. They would be great acquisitions but the truth is that the team's brass will want to assess their young players before they make any potential moves.

And even if the Jags decided to add a cornerback, they could turn to free agency. There are a handful of veterans still looking for a team after hitting the open market early this year. Whether their asking price is too high, or have taken a step back, Xavien Howard, J.C. Jackson, and Adoree' Jackson remain available. Maybe they're waiting for a club to suffer an injury at the position to sign, but it's fair to assume that they won't be getting top-market money if they sign before the start of the season.

If anything all three might need to settle on a bargain deal. Which takes us back to Mike Jackson. Why would the Jaguars trade for what is seemingly a CB3 or CB4 when they have equal or better in-house options? On the off chance they do look for help, they'll have much better alternatives than Jackson in both the open market and via trade.

Add the fact that the Jaguars would give up a fifth-round pick for a meddling player, and trading for Jackson doesn't make much sense. It's also worth noting that while general manager Trent Balke loves to trade, he won't do a deal unless he thinks he got a home run. For proof, the front office acquired starting guard Ezra Cleveland for a sixth-round pick and they went on to give him a contract extension in the offseason.

The bottom line is that trading for Mike Jackson would be an unnecessary move. If he hits the waiver wire, he could then be a solid pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Otherwise, they're better off keeping their fifth-round pick.

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