Most NFL pundits see the Jacksonville Jaguars selling at the NFL’s Nov. 5 trade deadline.
Running back Travis Etienne Jr., wide receiver Christian Kirk, and pass rusher Travon Walker have all been mentioned as potential targets for playoff-contending teams.
The Bleacher Report’s scouting department examined the flip side for the Jaguars on Monday. With his seat getting hotter by the week, could Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke surprise with a splash move at the deadline to help save his job?
It’s highly unlikely that a team near the bottom of the standings would hunt for a blockbuster trade, but it’s not unprecedented. The Chicago Bears traded for star defensive end Montez Sweat at the 2023 trade deadline, immediately signed him to an extension, and saw their defense transform overnight into one of the best in the NFL.
Could the Jaguars pull off a similar trick by trading for Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker?
Bleacher Report urged the Jaguars to shock the NFL and make a move for the six-time Pro Bowler. Here was the site’s take:
It’s hard to justify trading for a player with as much notoriety as Budda Baker with a 1-5 record, but the reality is that Pederson is probably coaching for his job and general manager Trent Baalke’s seat has to be hot, too. The Jaguars secondary was a major problem Sunday, with Williams carving them up for four touchdowns.
Baker is in the final year of his contract with the Cardinals and could still be a cornerstone for the Jags defense for a few seasons. He’s 29, but safeties tend to age well and Baker is playing at a high level for the Cards.
This Jaguars season is likely too far gone for a big trade to seriously move the needle in 2024. The Jags are 1-5 and have a brutal schedule over the next several weeks.
But Jacksonville has a major need at safety, as the pairing of Andre Cisco and Antonio Johnson is not getting the job done. Adding Baker now, and getting him extended before he hits free agency, would be a step in the right direction for a defense that’s sorely lacking veteran leadership and desperately needs help in the secondary.
The Jaguars are currently projected to have $ 51.8 million in cap space in 2025. Acquiring Baker with an eye on giving him a new contract, like the Bears did with Sweat, would be a savvy way to add one of the top safeties on the market early, without drastically impacting the team’s ability to fill other needs in free agency.
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