The Jacksonville Jaguars traded defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris and left tackle Cam Robinson before the November 5 trade deadline. On the other hand, they could've also used help. However, they opted to stay put, and their lack of activity should make Trevor Lawrence fume.
The Jags are 2-7 after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9. While execution played a role, it's fair to say that they could've used more talent on both sides of the ball. But instead of let's say, beefing up the offensive line or reinforcing their secondary, the 4:00 p.m. ET trade deadline came and went, and the front office didn't make an an aggressive attempt to address the team's most glaring holes.
Left guard Ezra Cleveland and right guard Brandon Scherff sat out the Eagles game. Both of them are dealing with injuries and are currently day-to-day. General manager Trent Baalke could have made a strong push for someone like Teven Jenkins, or at least inquired about him, but opted not to. Lawrence could also use more weapons.
Jacksonville lost wide receiver Christian Kirk for the season, and outside of Brian Thomas Jr., they don't have a receiver that will keep opposing defensive coordinators awake. The Pittsburgh Steelers just acquired Mike Williams from the New York Jets, so there were definitely options out there. Similarly, general manager Trent Baalke could also use help on defense.
The Jags could've used a No. 3 pass rusher behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. Although Arik Armstead has mostly lined up inside throughout most of his career, he's seen extensive playing time on the edge in Jacksonville.
Unfortunately, the former Oregon Duck has been underwhelming. But because the team's brass gave him a three-year deal worth $43.5 million in free agency, they probably didn't make further additions to the pass rush despite the fact that there was no shortage of options, whether it was Preston Smith, Za'Darious Smith, or Baron Browning. All of them changed teams before the deadline.
Heck, the Jaguars could've also traded for cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who will now suit up for the Washington Commanders after spending his career with the New Orleans Saints.
2 reasons the Jaguars didn't make moves before NFL trade deadline
The Jacksonville Jaguars should've been more active before the trade deadline, but there are a couple reasons why they didn't. They aren't good reasons, but they're reasons nonetheless.
The first one is that the team's brass may feel that they can turn things with the talent they have at hand. Moreover, they probably want to see their young players get reps and develop. On the other hand, general manager Trent Baalke might not have wanted to surrender future draft picks.
It's uncertain if Baalke will be the general manager next year, but if he is, he'll want to have as much ammo as possible. Still, that doesn't excuse him from staying put at the deadline. His job is to ensure that Jaguars have enough talent to compete and they currently don't.
That's why a couple of trades could've come in handy, but the Jaguars won't be able to make any since the deadline has passed.