The Jacksonville Jaguars are leading the way in the AFC South and just a game behind the Kansas City Chiefs for the best record in the AFC. If ever there was a time for the Jaguars to push their chips to the middle of the table, it’s now.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Jaguars need to trade away their next three first-round picks to get a superstar. Making some kind of move to get a boost down the stretch makes too much sense, though.
Jacksonville could use some help at left guard after rotating between Ben Bartch and Tyler Shatley early in the season. But no area is in more need of improvement than the team’s lackluster pass rush.
While Josh Allen has provided the Jaguars with seven sacks through the first seven weeks, the rest of the defense has just six combined sacks. Only four teams (none with winning records) have fewer sacks.
With the Oct. 31 trade deadline just a week away, here are 10 players who would be worth pursuing for the Jaguars:
EDGE Danielle Hunter (Vikings)
No name has come up more often in Jaguars trade rumors than Hunter. The NFL sack leader through seven weeks (with nine) is set to become a free agent in the offseason and the Vikings appear headed for a rebuild. The question is whether the team’s upset victory over the San Francisco 49ers has convinced Minnesota it’s too early to give up on 2023. The 3-4 Vikings are two games behind the 5-2 Detroit Lions in the NFC North.
EDGE Chase Young (Commanders)
The former No. 2 overall pick and Defensive Rookie of the Year missed about half of 2021 and almost all of 2022 due to a serious knee injury. Now he’s finally back on the field and starting to look like himself again with five sacks so far in 2023. Young, who is still just 24, is set to become a free agent next year after Washington declined to pick up his fifth-year option. The Commanders are sinking like a stone and could off-load Young if they think he’s headed for free agency anyway.
EDGE Brian Burns (Panthers)
The Panthers haven’t been able to secure a long-term deal with their two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher who’s currently playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal. While a trade seems unlikely, Carolina is also 0-6 and was convinced to part with stars Christian McCaffrey and D.J. Moore in the last year. Burns recorded 12.5 sacks last year and has four so far in 2023.
EDGE Montez Sweat (Commanders)
Like Young, Sweat is set to become a free agent in 2024 and is on a Commanders team that is going in the wrong direction. Sweat has 34.5 sacks in his five seasons and currently leads Washington with 5.5. In regards to the Commanders’ pass rushing duo, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini wrote last week that she gets the sense “one of them will be on the move.” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wasn’t as confident, writing “if one were to be dealt — again, huge if — it’s likely Young.”
EDGE Carl Lawson (Jets)
The former Bengals pass rusher recorded seven sacks in his first season with the Jets last year. But things have been much different in 2023, and Lawson has frequently been a healthy scratch. He’s played just 73 snaps so far this year and recorded only three tackles. It would likely take just a late-round pick to add Lawson.
EDGE Josh Uche (Patriots)
The win against the Bills doesn’t negate that the Patriots are in need of a rebuild. Uche, who notched 11.5 sacks a year ago, may be the best trade chip the team has on the roster. While he’s a liability against the run, that could make him exactly the kind of rotational rusher in passing situations that the Jaguars are lacking.
EDGE Derek Barnett (Eagles)
Barnett was reportedly eying a trade before the season began, but nothing came of it. Two months later, it’s no hard to see why he wanted out. Barnett has been phased out of the loaded Eagles defense and has just three tackles through seven weeks. The 27-year-old former first-round pick was never a premier pass rusher, but had 21.5 sacks through his first five seasons before disappearing from the lineup.
EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah (Dolphins)
No player is counting more against the Dolphins’ salary cap in 2023 than Ogbah, who signed a $65 million extension last year. But after a triceps tear ended his 2022 season, Ogbah has faded into a backup role on a defense that has found its sacks coming from Bradley Chubb, Andrew Van Ginkel, Zach Sieler, and Christian Wilkins instead. While the cap hit would make a deal tricky, it could also mean the Dolphins are willing to take just a late-round flyer to make an Ogbah trade work.
G Mike Onwenu (Patriots)
There aren’t many starting quality offensive linemen ever available at the trade deadline and Onwenu probably won’t be one of them. However, the versatile lineman is in the last year of his rookie deal and the 2-5 Patriots may be inclined to cash in their chips wherever they can. Onwenu has drawn interest, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, but a Week 7 move from right guard to right tackle for Onwenu seemed to help New England’s offense a ton. So don’t count on the team making a move.
G Ezra Cleveland (Vikings)
Like the aforementioned Danielle Hunter, a deal to acquire a Vikings player seemingly depends on how that team views its chances in the remainder of 2023. About a month ago, Minnesota sports reporter Darren Wolfson said the Vikings “kicked around the idea of trading” Cleveland before the season started. The former second round pick reportedly wants to play tackle despite being at guard his whole career. With his rookie contract expiring after this season, Cleveland is likely to hit free agency so he can test the tackle market.
