The Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t fared all that well when looking at their divisional record over the last two years, and if they have another bad season, the gap will only get larger between them and their divisional rivals. If the Jags have a solid 2020 offseason, however, they could close that gap which means a productive run in free agency is a must.
When looking at the players who could be on the open market this spring, some of the best players are in the Jags’ own division. Here are three free agents from each divisional rival who would be a great addition to their roster if available:
DT, D.J. Reader (Houston Texans)
Much like the Indianapolis Colts, the Houston Texans will be in the top-10 in terms of cap space with a little over $64.2 million available, so they have plenty of money to keep a lot of their noteworthy talent. It’s also worth noting that Deshaun Watson will be eligible for an extension, but even with the type of extension he’d get, the Texans have some wiggle room.
When looking at the needs the Jags have and the players who have expiring contracts on the Texans’ end, the player who particularly looks interesting is defensive tackle D.J. Reader. As many are aware, Marcell Dareus will likely be released in the coming weeks and if the Jags don’t show interest in re-signing him afterward, that would be a sign they want to get younger at defensive tackle.
At 25 years of age, that’s where Reader would come in. Like Dareus, the former Clemson Tiger is a force against the run and acquired an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 86.7. While there is something to be desired as a pass rusher, Reader would still help the team tremendously as they were abysmal against the run (ranking 28th) in 2019. Pairing him in the interior with Calais Campbell, Taven Bryan, and maybe a draft pick like Derrick Brown or Javon Kinlaw would bring the Jags’ interior back to dominance and give them a scary front. It also would be a big hit to the Texans as Reader is a favorite of head coach Bill O’Brien and would potentially make it easier to run on them during the regular season if they don’t replace him.