The Jacksonville Jaguars have some short- and long-term decisions to make regarding this 2024 NFL season.
Should the Jags buckle down and try to fight their way out of an 0-4 hole? Or should they look to the future and sell at the NFL’s Nov. 5 trade deadline?
Entering a winnable Week 5 home game against the Indianapolis Colts , it’s too early to give up on 2024. The Jaguars are in desperate need of help on defense, especially with top corner Tyson Campbell (hamstring) and MIKE linebacker Foye Oluokun (foot) on injured reserve.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes the Jaguars could be buyers at the trade deadline this season. In his NFL Trade Big Board for Week 5, Knox urged GM Trent Baalke to call the Philadelphia Eagles on linebacker Devin White, a former second-team All-Pro who has yet to play a snap with his new team since signing a one-year deal with Philly back in March.
Here was Knox’s take on White to the Jaguars:
The Philadelphia Eagles signed linebacker Devin White to a one-year, $4 million contract this offseason, but they have yet to make him active for a game. His inclusion on our list is a simple case of "if they're not going to use him, why not trade him?"
The unknown here is just how valuable White can be at this point in his career. He saw a reduced role with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers toward the end of last season and hasn't been a Pro Bowler since the 2021 season. After sitting for the first month of his 2024 campaign, the 26-year-old may not be ready to jump right back into a starting role.
That said, White is a former Pro Bowler (and a second-team All-Pro in 2020) with 75 starts, 23 sacks and six forced fumbles on his resume.
The winless Jags probably won't be buyers at the deadline if they don't turn things around quickly, but a spirited performance against the Houston Texans in Week 4 does provide some hope.
The Eagles have mysteriously kept White on the shelf, making him inactive behind starter Nakobe Dean due to numbers on special teams, according to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. It’s unclear why White plummeted from first-team middle linebacker in training camp to unplayable in the regular season, but it’s reasonable to see his marriage with Philly ending soon.
The Jaguars are currently rolling with young and unproven players at key positions on defense. Ventrell Miller stepped in for Oluokun and looked good against the Houston Texans in Week 4, but adding a veteran depth piece like White would make some sense as the team fights to salvage its 2024 season.
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