The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, having reeled off four straight wins to get to 5-2 heading into Week 8. The Jaguars sit in first place in the AFC South and appear to be the clear favorites to win the division.
However, just because Jacksonville has been playing some good football does not mean that the team doesn’t need to make any improvements.
It’s pretty clear that the Jags need some roster upgrades, and they have until the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline to make some moves.
Here are three trade targets the Jaguars should consider.
Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals
It’s obvious that Jacksonville has a pressing need in its secondary, as it ranks 31st in the NFL in pass defense through the first seven weeks.
So, why not pursue a guy who could potentially be the best defensive back available?
Budda Baker just came off the injured reserve list, as he was previously out with a hamstring injury. The Cardinals are just 1-6 and seem headed for another rebuild, so Baker could absolutely be a trade candidate before the end of the month.
Of course, Baker does have another year left on his deal, so Arizona does not have to move him. Still, the Cardinals could probably extract more value out of him with an extra season of team control than they could if he were an expiring contract.
Baker is one of the best safeties in football and would instantly upgrade a Jaguars secondary that has been an obvious weak point in 2023.
Donte Jackson, Carolina Panthers
Because Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson probably won’t be available and would be very pricy to retain in free agency anyway, the Jaguars may have to look to cheaper options at cornerback.
Donte Jackson could represent one of those options.
The Panthers are 0-6 and would really have no need to re-sign Jackson this offseason, so he is absolutely someone that Carolina could look to move.
Jackson isn’t a star by any means and wouldn’t suddenly make Jacksonville’s secondary fool-proof, but he is a reliable veteran who would at least provide some depth for the club at the position.
The 28-year-old certainly wouldn’t cost much in a trade, so the Jags may be able to nab him for a late-round draft pick. It’s definitely an avenue worth exploring for a Jaguars defensive backfield that has been giving up 300 yards through the air rather regularly over the past several weeks.
Cody Whitehair, Chicago Bears
The Jaguars’ offensive line is banged up, so they can definitely use some help in that area.
Cody Whitehair has one year left on his deal after this season, so the Bears may want to get out from under his $10.2 million base salary for 2024.
Whitehair has been a very steady contributor in the trenches for Chicago since entering the league in 2016 and has the ability to play multiple positions along the offensive line.
The 31-year-old made a Pro Bowl back in 2018, and aside from last season where he missed five games, Whitehair has been able to stay healthy throughout his career.
Jacksonville would probably be able to snare Whitehair for a mid-round draft pick.
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