General manager James Gladstone knocked the dust off the ol' trade machine and whipped up something for us to talk about after all. For those who don't know, the second-year general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars pulled off a player-for-player trade that sent Maason Smith to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Ruke Orhorhoro. The transaction confirms that Smith was never going to be a fit in Jacksonville, but he isn't the only player who should be getting a change of scenery.
Despite winning 13 games in 2025, the Jaguars lacked superstar levels of talent along both lines of scrimmage. Calling the trenches' lack of a breakout star a disappointment would be an understatement, as Jacksonville's dedicated huge free-agent contracts, historic first-overall draft picks, and premium second-round picks to both lines of scrimmage over the years.
As Gladstone continues to tinker with his roster before the 2026 NFL draft, he should really ask himself if these three names should be anywhere near the opening day lineup before it's all said and done.
Chuma Edoga could be replaced by almost any prospect from this year's draft class
With Cole Van Lanen getting a multi-year extension and Walker Little retaining a spot on the roster himself, Chuma Edoga's spot as a backup tackle should be in jeopardy.
Last year, Edoga signed a cheap, two-year contract that made him a low-risk acquisition to begin with. He appeared in 14 games and started two, but nothing about his performances screamed that he would be the franchise's next Tyler Shatley.
If he's still available by the time the Jaguars make their first selection, Texas A&M's Chase Bisontis could be a great fit for a depth spot on the interior of the offensive line while Van Lanen, Wyatt Milum, and Anton Harrison carry the load on the edges. Milum was a third-round pick last year, so it's highly likely that Gladstone sees him as an emergency backup plan if Jacksonville and Harrison can't agree to a long-term deal.
In any case, Jax has options at the lower end of the offensive line's depth chart, and Edoga shouldn't be one of them.
Arik Armstead started strong but fizzled out when the Jaguars' pass rush needed him
Once upon a time, Arik Armstead was playing out of position after being brought in to play defensive end in Ryan Nielsen's scheme. Although it wasn't completely Armstead's fault, the Jaguars would go on to field one of the worst defenses in franchise history with the former 49er manning the edge.
When Anthony Campanile and the rest of the new coaching staff was brought in, Armstead was excited to move back inside and return to the same level of play that made him a star in San Francisco. At first, he was right on track to become the new anchor on the Jacksonville defensive line, as he led the team in sacks at one point. Unfortunately, he would not be able to keep that pace up for long.
Before reminding me that a defensive tackle leading the team in sacks would be impossible with Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker on the same roster, I would like to point you to the fact that Armstead's 5.5 sacks were two more than the 3.5 Walker racked up. Yes, that Walker, the one who was just given a four-year, $110 million extension.
So, while he definitely isn't the worst player on the roster, Armstead is an investment from the last remnants of the Trent Baalke Era that just hasn't paid off. While he gave the Jags more production than Maason Smith ever did, that isn't an excuse for James Gladstone to stop improving the roster every way he can before the ball kicks off for real in September.
Trading Walker Little gives the Jaguars a chance to save cap space
I've been hard on Walker Little in the past, but it was because the Jacksonville Jaguars expected him to be the franchise's left tackle of the future. Heading into 2026, it looks like Cole Van Lanen and Anton Harrison have the fast track to take over the LT1 and RT1 slots indefinitely.
Spotrac states that the Jags could save $11.94 million if they trade Little after June 1st. That's plenty of time for an interested suitor to think about where they whiffed during the draft and if offensive tackle is a pressing need heading into training camp.
I won't lie to you and act like I know the technical reasons for Little's failure to establish himself as a core starter in Jacksonville. Like his quarterback, he's been asked to learn and mesh with various offensive philosophies. A finesse passing system that doesn't ask the Stanford alum to maul people 35 times a game could be the best fit for him.
Last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers only ran the ball 407 times for 1,756 yards as a team. This was the weakest figure of all the squads who qualified for the postseason, and there's a chance Mike McCarthy will focus more on establishing his team's rhythm in the passing game instead of forcefully pounding the rock with his hog mollies during the first few weeks of the season.
If so, Little could get the opportunity to protect his next starting QB (whoever that is) in a system that relies on the quick dropbacks McCarthy's offenses are known for.
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