The Jacskonville Jaguars are 4-3 but have their work cut out if they want to make a legitimate playoff push. They'll need to put a renewed emphasis on fundamentals and execution during their BYE Week, but it would also help if the front office brought in reinforcements at the NFL trade deadline.
General manager James Gladstone hasn't shied away from making trades to address immediate needs. Just recently, he sent cornerback Tyson Campbell to the Cleveland Browns in return for Greg Newsome. The perfect option to bolster the wide receiver corps could next fall into his lap at the November 4 deadline.
The Jaguars must give the Dolphins a call about Jaylen Waddle
Spotrac drew up a list of players who may be available via trade. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle made the cut, and he would most definitely be able to help the Jaguars.
The sixth overall selection in the 2021 draft, Waddle has been a mainstay of the Miami Dolphins the past five seasons. However, they're currently 1-6, and there's a strong chance they'll hit the reset button next year, so it makes sense to unload players who may not be part of the Phins' long-term plans and acquire draft capital.
Just recently, Josh Weil of Pro Football Network drew up a list of potential destinations for Waddle. He didn't include the Jaguars, but he argued that a third or maybe fourth-round selection could get a deal done. All things considered, that's a reasonable price to pay for a receiver who's tallied 339 catches for 4,534 yards with 23 touchdowns in 69 career games.
It's also worth noting that Waddle has cap hits of $8 million and $11.6 million in 2025 and 2026, respectively, so he would most definitely fit the Jaguars' budget.
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How can Jaylen Waddle can help the Jaguars?
Trevor Lawrence has left much to be desired, but he hasn't truly hasn't gotten help from his receivers outside of Travis Hunter. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is the only Jaguar wideout who doesn't have a catch rate north of 10 percent.
Heck, you could even make the case that the Jaguars must make Travis Hunter their WR1 and decrease Brian Thomas Jr.'s role until he starts to catch the football on a consistent basis. That said, it wouldn't hurt to add Jaylen Waddle to Lawrence's arsenal.
Sure, the pass rush or even the offensive line could also use upgrades via trade, but Waddle would give Jacksonville a dynamic playmaker. You could argue that the Jags already have enough weapons, and it's only a matter of execution. Maybe that's true, and Thomas, along with Parker Washington and Dyami Brown, will hit his stride after the BYE. But that shouldn't deter the front office from acquiring help.
Ultimately, it's hard to tell just how aggressive the Jaguars will be at the NFL trade deadline, but the prospect of acquiring a player of Jaylen Waddle's caliber shouldn't be outright dismissed.