Jacksonville surprised many around the league and even those who cover the team with Monday’s decision to trade second-year cornerback C.J. Henderson to the Carolina Panthers alongside a fifth-round pick. In return, the Jags received fifth-year tight end Dan Arnold and a third-round pick.
This return isn’t ideal for a player the Jaguars used the ninth-overall pick on less than two years ago, but it seemed as though Henderson never connected with the new coaching staff, and Jacksonville defensive coordinator Joe Cullen said that a change of scenery for Henderson would be mutually beneficial.
“I just think it’s a great trade for the organization, for CJ (Henderson),” Cullen said. “It’s an opportunity where we felt like [we liked] the way Tyson (Campbell) played and it gives CJ a fresh start where he’s going. I wish him well. I talked to him yesterday. It’s a business and things happen in this league day-in and day-out.”
Henderson exited Jacksonville’s Week 2 game against Denver with a hip injury, and he was inactive in the loss to Arizona on Sunday. In his place, rookie second-round pick Tyson Campbell, who had been starting at nickel, got the start on the outside.
Overall, he played fairly well in a tough spot against an extremely talented and deep Cardinals receiving corps. Cullen said that Campbell’s recent performance is part of why the coaching staff felt like it could afford to part ways with Henderson.
“I just think (Campbell) really competed from that first third down when he went and knocked the ball out on that third-and-1,” Cullen said. “He ran with their receivers really well. Even the one, as much respect as I have for (Cardinals QB Kyler) Murray, it looked like that was shot out of the jugs machine. He went up there and, you know, he was the corner on that play, so I mean we have to have some help by the middle field safety on that. But he competed really well and he’s only going to get better.”
While Campbell saw a lot of work at nickel in the preseason and the first two weeks of the regular season, he mostly started on the outside in college at Georgia. Cullen said he feels comfortable with the rookie playing inside or outside.
“He’s played both and I think, for a young guy, nickel’s a real hard position,” he said. “You have to be great in the run game, you have to be a great blitzer, and then you’re going to have to have some different cover skills for those quicker wide receivers. But I think it helps him a little bit seeing everything from one side of the field.”
With Henderson’s departure, the Jaguars failed to retain yet another first-round pick beyond their rookie deal. But it’s clear Henderson wasn’t a great fit with what the staff was trying to do, and coach Urban Meyer drafted Campbell partially as a failsafe if Henderson didn’t work out.
The Jags will hope that decision, which was a bit questionable at the time, pays off in the long run.