NFL.com says this top free agent would be a perfect fit in Jacksonville
Jacksonville has more than $82 million in cap space to work with, so it stands to reason that we can expect the Jaguars to be big spenders during free agency this offseason. Coming off a 1-15 season that granted them the first overall pick, they obviously have a lot of areas on the roster that need to be addressed.
Luckily for the Jags, they appear to have an answer for the most important position. Barring something shocking, they will select former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with pick No. 1. But before then, the focus needs to be on how to bolster him with as much talent as possible.
It’s likely that Jacksonville will try to address the offensive and defensive trenches, but with a young receiving corps that is promising (albeit potentially missing a piece or two), it could try to give Lawrence an elite target in the passing game. NFL.com thinks it has the answer.
In a rundown of the best free-agent fits for each AFC team, the Jaguars were matched with Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry.
In a world where the Saints sit roughly $69 million in the red, the Jaguars have $82 million dead presidents to toss around. The table is set for a quick turnaround if Trevor Lawrence is drafted with the No. 1 overall pick and shines while on a rookie contract. Backfield revelation James Robinson costs merely $781,000 next season, while wideouts D.J. Chark and Laviska Shenault Jr. remain bargains. With Tyler Eifert out the door and Josh Oliver stuck in neutral due to injuries, Jacksonville has the need — and requisite greenbacks — to lure pass-catching tight end Hunter Henry away from Los Angeles.
Henry has a projected market value of $10.6 million over four years, according to Spotrac, and giving him that deal would keep him as the third-highest paid tight end in the league. He isn’t the only option to upgrade the passing game, as potential free-agent receivers like Curtis Samuel, Allen Robinson, and Kenny Golladay could be available.
But if the Jaguars want a tight end, he and former Titan Jonnu Smith are pretty clearly the best players in free agency. And landing a player like Henry would give Lawrence a big-time target to throw to in addition to D.J. Chark and 2020 rookies Laviska Shenault and Collin Johnson.
