The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t move quickly enough on one potential trade target.
As rumors swirl ahead of the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 10, the one thing that can derail a deal more than anything else is an injury.
In this case, a season-ending injury has foiled the Jags’ chances of landing an impact defensive player.
Jaguars’ Trade Target Out For Season
In the lead-up to Week 8, the Jags were linked to Daron Payne, a standout defensive tackle for the Washington Commanders.
The latest intrigue had from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen in a new article on Wednesday.
They connected the Jags to the big DT. Payne was given three “best fits” in a new article by that ESPN duo on Wednesday, and those three teams were the Jaguars, the Giants and the Buccaneers.
“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 wrote. “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.”
But then on Friday, Payne sustained a season-ending foot injury during practice on Friday.
Instead of a potential move via trade, Payne isn’t going anywhere.
Why Deadline Isn’t Only Trade Window
This is why the Colts have already traded Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner with more than a week to go until the deadline. Injuries can ruin trades.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote it this way this weekend:
“The lesson to every team is clear. The trade deadline isn’t the only deadline that matters. Every game, and every practice, in which a potentially tradable player participates is a practical deadline, since one injury can render a possible trade dead in the water.”
But it’s also clear that if the Jags want someone in the days ahead, they should probably just go make sure it happens.
Jaguars’ Trade Target Out For Season With Injury, Ruining Chances