After a day spent cutting their roster closer to the maximum 53-player limit, the Jacksonville Jaguars managed to trade receiver Laviska Shenault to the Carolina Panthers, effectively getting a return for a talent they may have otherwise cut outright. The compensation they’ll be getting back is still unclear, though it is likely that they’ll receive a conditional draft pick for Shenault in a deal that should pave the way for preseason standout Tim Jones to make the final roster.
Shenault has been a mercurial presence on the Jaguars offense since 2020 when Jacksonville selected him with a second-round pick out of the University of Colorado. He has made some highlight reel worthy catches for the team but hasn’t managed to play a full season to this point in his career.
After a rookie season where he started 12 games for the Jaguars, he took a step back last year with 10 starts, though he managed to slightly out-pace his 2020 production with 5 more catches for 19 more yards in his sophomore campaign. He did not score a touchdown last year but found the end zone five times as a rookie.
Now a member of the Panthers’ snakebitten offense, Shenault can expect to see a fair number of targets in Carolina off the arm of Baker Mayfield, who has found himself in the starting quarterback role after injuries to Matt Corral and Sam Darnold in the preseason.
Shenault will have some adjustments to make in Matt Rhule’s offense but should be a natural fit with his new team this season. The trade will prove to be mutually beneficial for both Shenault and the Jaguars, as he was unlikely to see significant playing time in Jacksonville after their addition of Christian Kirk in the offseason.
Depending on the compensation, this move could provide Jacksonville with crucial draft capital in the future, which will aid in its rebuild beyond the 2022 season.