Early buzz tagged the Jacksonville Jaguars as trade deadline sellers, but behind closed doors, they’re looking more and more like aggressive buyers who are already quietly hunting for upgrades.
While everyone is busy thinking of the next best landing spot for Brian Thomas Jr., the Jaguars might be looking out for more depth at tackle in their secondary.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen had a perfect candidate for Anthony Campanile’s squad in mind when listing out their Top 25 trade candidates before Nov. 10.
Jaguars Urged to Trade for Commanders DT Daron Payne
They list the Jaguars as the top landing spot, ahead of the Giants and Buccaneers, for Washington Commanders‘ Pro Bowl defensive tackle Daron Payne.
“Washington dealt key defensive pieces at the deadline three years ago and could be faced with a similar predicament this time with Payne, who’s 29 and still has value,” Fowler writes, predicting a 25% chance of Payne getting traded before the trade deadline.
“Payne is a 2027 free agent with a $16.4 million base this year. But the NFC East is also winnable, despite Washington’s 1-4-1 record, so that could be a point in favor of the Commanders keeping him. Jacksonville is a potential fit, with some in the league noting the Jaguars could use a versatile interior player with pass-rush ability and have looked for that since the offseason.”
Behind Arik Armstead and DaVon Hamilton, the Jaguars rely on rotational options like Matt Dickerson, Ruke Orhorhoro, and rookie Albert Regis. None of these backups provide consistent interior pass-rush juice.
Plus, Armstead turns 33 next season and can’t log 80%+ of snaps week-in and week-out without losing his edge. Hamilton has been solid too, but when he steps off the field, the interior run defense loses significant ground, leaving Jacksonville vulnerable to power-running games down the stretch.
“Payne can still provide an interior presence due to his foot quickness and strength in one-on-one matchups, plus he will impact the run game from multiple alignments. He had a career-best 11.5 sacks in 2022, but he has totaled only 12 over his past four seasons,” Bowen adds.
How Much Would it Cost the Jaguars?
Adding Daron Payne instantly makes him the top interior defender on Jacksonville’s front. He hasn’t hit double-digit sacks since 2022, but he still disrupts plays at the line, putting up 12 sacks over the last four years.
However, it comes with a small price tag.
“This begs the question, how much would the Jags have to fork out to get him? They would have to take on his remaining salary of $8 million,” Black and Teal’s Carlos Sanchez explains. “Regarding compensation, the Commanders may not get much more than a fourth-round selection for him.”
“The Colts just traded DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers in return for a fourth-round selection. Payne is younger but less productive this season, so the Jags could acquire him for a similar price.”
Buy or sell, the Jaguars can’t afford to sit idle at the trade deadline. The moves GM James Gladstone makes over the next few days will directly determine whether this Jaguars team is a legitimate AFC contender or just a fake threat.
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