The Jacksonville Jaguars got off to a strong start to the Liam Coen era when they defeated the Carolina Panthers 26-10 in Week 1. But as encouraging as the win was, the Jags will encounter better opponents throughout the season, so they'll need to work on a handful of execution issues that arose in the opener.
On top of that, it would be a good idea to fortify the roster, which begs the question, what position should the team's brass address to increase their chances of making a legitimate playoff run?
The Jaguars aren't afraid of making trades under James Gladstone
If there's one thing general manager James Gladstone has made clear in his stint with the Jaguars is that he isn't afraid to take a bold swing. Back in the draft, he moved up to select Travis Hunter. Later in the preseason, Jacksonville traded center Luke Fortner in return for defensive tackle Khalen Saundres. If that wasn't enough, Gladstone acquired Tim Patrick from the Denver Broncos to round out the wide receiver corps.
Now, the Jags have a well-rounded roster and don't truly have a glaring weakness. This makes it difficult to identify a position that could use upgrades. For instance, Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson were the subject of trade chatter ahead of the regular season, but Jacksonville wasn't a realistic destination for either one because the Jaguars have a pair of talented pass rushers in Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. Moreover, they have a depth rotation behind the two.
Maybe Jacskonville could use someone like Greg Newsome II in their secondary, but their cornerback group is in good shape despite the fact that Montaric Brown is currently dealing with a knee injury.
On offense, the Jaguars have no shortage of weapons. They're stacked at receiver, and they have a bona fide TE1 in Brenton Strange. You could make the case that Trevor Lawrence was underwhelming in the opener, but the Jaguars won't sit him out anytime soon, let alone trade for a quarterback.
That leaves defensive tackle as the one position the team's brass could possibly reinforce after Week 1.
Related:3 winners (and 1 loser) from the Jags' win over the Panthers in Week 1
Mazi Smith could help the Jaguars
The issue with adding a defensive tackle is that there aren't many good ones available. Heck, the Jaguars signed Austin Johnson and traded for Khalen Saunders. On the other hand, the Jags need a true difference-maker next to Arik Armstead, so taking a flyer on a 2023 draft disappointment may be worth it.
Mazi Smith has left much to be desired since the Cowboys drafted him in 2023. Heck, he was phased out in favor of Kenny Clark when he arrived as part of the Micah Parsons trade. By now, you may be wondering why the Jags would be trading for an unremarkable player, but the truth is that the former Michigan Wolverine was a first-round selection for a reason.
Granted, Smith has logged a measly two sacks in 34 games, but it's possible that Dallas isn't a good fit, and he may benefit from a change of scenery. The Jaguars could most definitely give it to him, and trading him wouldn't probably be cost-prohibitive. Bill Barnell of ESPN believes a swap of Day 3 picks could get a deal done, and if that's the case, it wouldn't hurt Jacksonville to give the Cowboys a call.
Now, Mazi Smith alone won't propel the Jaguars to the playoffs, but he could turn out to be a significant piece of the puzzle. At this point, it doesn't hurt to give it a shot.
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