Now that the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft has concluded, the general manager and head coach of the Jaguars have both addressed the media to give fans an update on the players and trades that were made. Here’s all the information you require.
With the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft completed, the Jacksonville Jaguars are getting closer to completing their roster. General Manager Trent Baalke and Head Coach Doug Pederson gave media interviews to give further context and details about the draft additions.
The extra day two and three presser takeaways will be added to this page once it is updated following each draft day. Here’s all the information you require.
General Manager Trent Baalke was questioned early about trading up because supporters and the national media had previously anticipated the team to be in the running to perhaps trade into the top 10 this draft. Not surprisingly, he responded that it would be too expensive to trade into the top 10.
“We felt like we had a good idea of where those guys (the top three wide receivers) were going to end up, and that’s pretty much where they landed. Getting into that zone would have come at a very high cost. It was out of the question; perhaps you would have done it if one of them had slipped a little bit farther. Simply put, we didn’t think they would enter our territory, and they didn’t.
The Chicago Bears selected Rome Odunze, a favorite wide receiver from Washington, at choice number nine, as was to be expected. Speaking of trading up, it appears the team might have been trying to move from pick 48 for a target back into the first round. When questioned about it, Baalke remarked slyly,
“We may have.”
However, upon follow up he provided more insight.
“We might have since we arrived to the end of the draft. Examine that for what you desire.
The Buffalo Bills gave up their last first-round selection to the Carolina Panthers, who selected South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette at number 32. It is assumed that either the Panthers trade package was significantly superior or the Bills were not interested in going all the way back to pick 48 (rather than just going back one pick).
Afterwards, Baalke talked about the reasoning behind the trade back with the Minnesota Vikings.
“You enter it, and like I’ve always advised, pay attention to the board. We began receiving calls when we were idling between picks 15 and 16. Taking a look at the teams that were between 17 and 23, we were able to determine what the needs of the players we had targeted and the needs of the board looked excellent. Simply put, we thought the board was strong and that having three extra picks was well worth it. genuinely selecting a guy from the draft that we desired.”
In exchange for picks 167 (2024 fifth round selection), a 2025 third round selection, and a 2025 fourth round selection, the Jaguars traded pick 17 in the first round to the Vikings. To be honest? I think that’s a Trade-back Trent Masterclass. Don’t tell Baalke that, though.
“No, I believe that was a fair exchange. When it comes to statistics, analytics, and other aspects of the company, Kwesi Adofo-Mensaf, the general manager of the Vikings, is someone I greatly admire. He won’t fall victim to fraud. He performed admirably. They obtained the player they desired and provided us with what they were prepared to forfeit. It’s not about running away from each other. It just comes down to what they are willing to provide and whether you are willing to accept it; nobody is going to get the better of another. That is all there is to it.
“No, I believe that was a fair exchange. When it comes to statistics, analytics, and other aspects of the company, Kwesi Adofo-Mensaf, the general manager of the Vikings, is someone I greatly admire. He won’t fall victim to fraud. He performed admirably. They obtained the player they desired and provided us with what they were prepared to forfeit. It’s not about running away from each other. It just comes down to what they are willing to provide and whether you are willing to accept it; nobody is going to get the better of another. That is all there is to it.
In significantly less words, yea. Baalke fleeced Minnesota.
Baalke continued,
“Head Coach Doug Pederson looked at me, and I looked at him when we received the call to return to 23. We both said, ‘Yes, let’s do it.'” It resembled last year somewhat.
As icing on the cake, Trent clarified that he still had his buddy.
“WR Brian Thomas Jr. was supposed to be selected at number 17.” As previously mentioned, there were other participants, but based on the way the board appeared, the teams that stood between us, and our demands, we thought we had a shot. Both danger and profit are present. You make the move back, but we believed that by doing so, we would be able to get a highly-regarded football talent. That Brian was still there was fortunate.
Masterclass, if true.
Consistent, Explosive Plays
Coach Pederson stated that the Jaguars offense needed an infusion of speed and explosive plays after receiver Calvin Ridley was traded to the Tennessee Titans during the offseason.
We haven’t had a player with that level of speed since Calvin [WR Calvin Ridley] last season, and now you’re adding him. In a few weeks, after we truly get our hands on him and bring him in here as well, we can examine how best to utilize him in the playbook. Not only can I believe it will help us offensively, but I also believe it will help us by expanding our offensive options.
Baalke later added onto that statement.
“I believe that from the first day he showed the film, Coach has been a huge supporter throughout the entire process. Our scouts were able to identify him early on in the process. This is not a man who came late to the board; rather, we have always valued his skill set greatly. He’s a guy that provides a skillset that we haven’t necessarily had to the extent that he does. He’s 6’027”, 209 pounds, and he runs a sub-4.4, mid-4.3, as coach said earlier.
He can support it with production. 22 targets over 20 yards, I believe, with 15 of them yielding touchdowns and an average of 17 or higher. All we can think about is getting him in here, grabbing hold of him, and starting work.
Brian Thomas Jr.’s situation differs differently from that of the former receiver who filled the position because Ridley was also a very quick receiver but was not always able to take advantage of those big play possibilities. The staff thinks that as BTJ gets younger and less expensive, he will eventually have a comparable, if not greater, impact on the offense. If that is true, only time will tell.
Remember to come back to this page tomorrow to see our conclusions from the media availability held by the front office on day two.
