One Trade Deadline Move the Jaguars Must Prioritize ASAP

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are a good team. A really good team, even. But, like any team, they could still use some help.

Help normally comes in the form of a trade around this time of the year, with the trade deadline just a few weeks away and rumors and interest starting to heat up. For the Jaguars, there is no reason this year's deadline can't be a productive one.

But what type of moves should the Jaguars prioritize with the deadline around the corner? Should they look for swing tackle help after Anton Harrison's season-ending injury? Should they add more pass-rushers or defensive backs? All of these moves would make some sense, but there is one player who stands out above all the other options: Los Angeles Chargers pass-rusher Khalil Mack.

The Mack Move

The Jaguars have bigger needs than the edge position; at least from my view. The Jaguars' secondary has been banged up all season and there is a real and true need for cornerback depth. The secondary is why the Jaguars lost in the Wild Card last season, and it is facing some of the same issues today despite Travis Hunter being a true lockdown No. 1 cornerback.

But there is a reason that Mack is the top target the Jaguars should focus on landing, and one they should work to do so as quickly as possible. The Jaguars have a talented pair of edge defenders in Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, but they have not gotten much production from the rest of the pass-rush unit on a down-to-down basis.

The Jaguars rank No. 9 in pressure rate this season at 39.1%, about a 4% increase from their 2025 number. But the Jaguars have had to blitz at a high clip to make that happen. When the Jaguars blitz, they have a pressure rate of 49.3%, which would rank No. 1 in the NFL this year in terms of standard pressure rate. But when the Jaguars do not blitz, their pressure rate drops to 33.6%. That is still 10th-best of all teams when they are just rushing four, but it is clear the Jaguars are getting more pressure when they send the house.

The reason for that is simple: the Jaguars are not getting any pass-rush from anyone not named Hines-Allen or Walker. Arik Armstead has had some big games inside, but also some quiet ones. And out of 130 qualifying rushers, Dennis Gardeck, Bryan Thomas Jr., and Danny Striggow rank No. 90, No. 123, and No. 129 in pass-rush win-rate.

This means that the Jaguars have two players on their roster providing pressure, and they have to scheme the rest of it up. To fix this, the Jaguars should offer the Chargers a fifth-round pick for Mack. Mack's win rate ranks just No. 70, but that is as the Chargers' No. 2 guy. He would be the No. 3 guy in Jacksonville, a better fit for where he is at in his career and a better fit for what the Jaguars truly need in their edge rotation.

Mack, who would be a cheap rental, would also allow Dennis Gardeck to be more rotational of a pass-rusher than he is now, a better role for his skill-set. It would also allow Walker to slide inside on more passing downs which is, you guessed it, a better role for his skill-set as well. It would make several members of the defense better, improve the pass-rush depth, and give the Jaguars a chance to not have to rely solely on two players to provide that spark.

The Jaguars could also recoup whatever they send over for Mack depending on where he signs in free agency next season. Getting a few months of production from Mack and then getting some kind of future compensatory pick for his services would be a big win in terms of team-building. With that said, the Jaguars would have to move with some quickness.

Mack will likely be a sought-after target on the trade market due to his position, years of production, and the fact that it is clear he will only take a Day 3 pick for the winless Chargers. A lot of teams are bound to be interested in a player like that, with the Chicago Bears already being tied to a potential move.

The Jaguars should move quickly to prevent anyone else from getting in on renting out Mack and then getting a future pick for him, because it is a smart move to move.