The Jaguars are apparently looking to move on from a pair of veterans. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the organization is trying to trade defensive tackle Malik Jackson and running back Carlos Hyde. The team is hoping to make a move by the start of the league year on March 13th.
Jackson hasn’t missed a game with the Jaguars since he inked a massive six-year, $85.5MM contract ($31.5MM guaranteed) back in 2016. He started all 32 of his games during his first two seasons in Jacksonville, and he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2017. However, he took a bit of a step back in 2018, and he was ultimately benched for Taven Bryan down the stretch. He finished the season with 32 tackles and 3.5 sacks, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 85th among 112 interior defenders.
Jackson is owed more than $13MM in each of the next three seasons, and his cap hit exceeds $15MM in 2019 and 2020. If a team were to acquire Jackson, they’d surely be looking for him to take a significant pay cut. The Jaguars could also choose to cut the 29-year-old, although they’d be left with $4MM in dead cap in 2019 and $2MM in dead cap in 2020.
Hyde joined the Jaguars in a midseason trade with the Browns, and he proceeded to run for 189 yards and zero touchdowns in eight games (two starts). Hyde has two more years remaining on his deal, but Jacksonville does have the ability to get out of the contract this offseason. With T.J. Yeldon hitting free agency, the team could also decide to retain Hyde as Leonard Fournette insurance.
Jackson just needs to come back to Denver but will most likely end up in LA with the Rams in my opinion.