The Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the biggest topics of the NFL headlines due to trading veteran cornerback A.J. Bouye to the Denver Broncos for a 2020 fourth-round pick. While the move now gives them 10 draft picks for 2020, there isn’t much behind him and several additions will be needed at the position this offseason.
However, before we get into free-agency and the draft, here’s a preview of how the cornerback position looks at the moment for the Jags:
CB1: Tre Herndon (5-foot-11, 185-pounds)
When the 2019 season started, absolutely nobody saw this team being without both A.J. Bouye and Jalen Ramsey the following year, but here we are. With both gone and D.J. Hayden being designated to the nickelback position, Tre Herndon is now the team’s No. 1 guy on the perimeter.
Herndon was thrust into the starting role a little after Ramsey notified the team that he wanted to be traded. By the season’s end, he had 14 starts to his name with 55 tackles and three picks. Of course, Herndon had some growing pains early in the year but settled down over time. He was only able to garner a Pro Football Focus grade of 54.7 but should be better with almost a full season worth of starts behind him.
CB2: D.J. Hayden (5-foot-11, 190-pounds)
As previously stated, D.J. Hayden will enter the 2020 season as the Jags’ top nickleback. His 2019 campaign went pretty well as he always was around the ball either making tackles or being a pest to receivers in the slot. He ultimately registered a PFF grade of 76.9, which was one of the highest on the entire team.
CB3: Parry Nickerson (5-foot-11, 179-pounds)
Like Herndon, Parry Nickerson will be entering his third season in 2020, however, he’s way more of an unknown. The Jags initially signed and waived Nickerson in October, but he ended up back on their practice squad and was promoted to the main roster in December.
Nickerson participated in four games total in 2020 and started in one. Before joining the Jags, he also had two starts with the New York Jets so it seems he’s a developmental player the Jags should look to find out more about.
CB4: Brandon Watson (5-foot-11, 198-pounds)
Rookie Brandon Watson joined the Jags last season after the 2019 NFL Draft as an undrafted free-agent from Michigan. He ended up being placed on the team’s practice squad after final cuts but was promoted to the main roster on Oct. 30. Watson’s stat line with the team is limited as he participated in eight games and accumulated five tackles. Clearly, this indicates that the Jags will need to learn more about him this offseason.
CB5: Jayson Stanley (6-foot-2, 201-pounds)
Jayson Stanley is the only player in this group who didn’t take a regular season snap with the Jags, so like Watson, they’ll have to learn more about him this offseason. He’ll probably be a bit behind the curve as the rookie converted from playing receiver at the University of Georgia to playing corner when he was briefly with the Atlanta Falcons. However, he did appear in 37 games while playing with the Bulldogs.