A year ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars were among the NFL’s worst disappointments. They had an 8-4 start to the season and appeared to be coasting to the AFC South title. However, a 1-4 record destroyed all of that, as they were eliminated from the postseason. To ensure that kind of catastrophe does not occur again, the Jaguars had to make some changes in the offseason and during the 2024 NFL Draft. A few of the decisions they made over the weekend ought to contribute to achieving that aim.
Drafting Brian Thomas Jr.
Whether the Jaguars will re-sign Calvin Ridley was one of the biggest offseason mysteries. The terms and conditions of the trade that the Jaguars and the Falcons made for Ridley in the 2022 season were extremely special. Jacksonville received a fifth-round pick in 2023 from Jacksonville as well as a conditional fourth pick that, should Ridley meet certain requirements, could become a third-round selection. It might have also become a second if Ridley had been re-signed by the Jaguars to a long-term contract this offseason.
Jacksonville chose not to re-sign Ridley in order to avoid giving up that second-round pick. With a four-year $92 million contract that guaranteed him $50 million, he rushed off to join the Tennessee Titans. Although Gabe Davis was signed by the Jags to make up for Ridley’s loss, more had to be done. They achieved this by selecting Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU.
Though Thomas Jr. played excellent for the Tigers, Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers garnered much of the attention due to LSU’s exceptional offensive capabilities. After racking up 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns on 68 receptions previous year, he truly took off.
Despite still developing as a route runner, this big, quick athlete can score from anywhere on the field.
Increasing Trevor Lawrence’s arsenal is always a good idea. However, Lawrence’s aim is different from Thomas Jr.’s from what he faced in Duval. Thomas Jr. has the potential to be an excellent deep threat, something the Jaguars have been lacking. He can assist Jacksonville right now.
Drafting Javon Foster
Providing Lawrence with additional weapons to throw to won’t go wrong for the Jaguars. This holds true for selecting offensive linemen as well. Jacksonville added a man to their offensive line in the fourth round, but it’s a fairly decent addition. That’s Javon Foster from Missouri. Foster played a very strong role for the Tigers in the SEC last season.
Foster is useful in passing as well as running the ball. The Jaguars will be happy to hear that since they require assistance immediately with both areas. According to ESPN.com, they were ranked 27th in run block win rate and 29th in pass block win rate in the league.
In college, Foster mainly played left tackle for Missouri. Although Cam Robinson has maintained that position for Jacksonville, Foster could be able to replace Anton Harrison at right tackle or take some reps there. He offers a tremendous deal of depth, at least. There is never enough depth on an offensive line for any team.
Acquiring extra 2025 draft picks
Brian Thomas was chosen by the Jaguars with the 23rd overall pick in the first round. They not only got their guy, but on Thursday they were able to acquire Thomas by trading down. The Minnesota Vikings traded up from 23 to 17 in the draft to choose Dallas Turner, an edge rusher from Alabama, with a fifth-round pick in 2024. But it was not all they gave up. Moving up six spots in the current draft, Minnesota also traded a third and fourth-round pick in 2025 as part of that deal.
Minnesota paid a high price, but a few picks earlier, they had their guys in Turner and JJ McCarthy. The winners are the Jaguars. They may utilize their selections to bolster their team in some way later on.
Shervon Fakhimi, an editorial writer at ClutchPoints, was raised in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He adores the Los Angeles Lakers, Green Bay Packers, and Arkansas Razorbacks among other sports teams.
