The Jacksonville Jaguars have been open about their desire to strengthen their pass-rush for the past year, but they haven’t made any significant moves yet. This trend continues into the current offseason. Despite previous connections to Danielle Hunter from the Minnesota Vikings, another seasoned pass-rusher, Haason Reddick from the Philadelphia Eagles, is now linked to the Jaguars. According to Mike Fisher from Cowboys Country, the Jaguars, along with another team, are expressing interest in acquiring the 29-year-old Pro Bowler.

Fisher stated, “Our source indicates that Dallas and Jacksonville are among the teams showing ‘interest’ in acquiring Reddick. (There are rumors about Detroit, Houston, and New England, but these remain unconfirmed.)” Reddick inked a three-year, $45 million contract with the Eagles in 2022 and has since tallied 27 sacks (16 in 2022 and 11 in 2023) and earned two Pro Bowl selections. However, his 2024 cap hit stands at $21,877,000, posing financial challenges for the Eagles if they consider releasing him due to his nearly $20 million dead cap. While Travon Walker and Josh Allen combined for 27.5 sacks for the Jaguars last season, the rest of the defensive unit struggled to apply pressure, resulting in the Jaguars ranking 25th in sacks with only 40.

Jacksonville struggled to get adequate production from backup players K’Lavon Chaisson, Dawuane Smoot, and Yasir Abdullah, who collectively managed only three sacks. This highlights a significant need for reinforcements in the pass-rushing department. The Jaguars have previously attempted to address this gap, bringing in Jadeveon Clowney for a visit last year and exploring trade possibilities involving Josh Uche, Chase Young, and Hunter.

Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke acknowledged the challenges, stating, “Everyone has their opinion on that. I don’t ever try to look back and say, ‘What if?’ There’s things that we’ve got to do better and ultimately, it falls on my shoulders to make the right decisions and make the right moves.” He emphasized collaboration with Head Coach Doug Pederson, expressing a commitment to alignment in decision-making. Baalke added, “With obviously a lot of discussion and talk with Coach Pederson, and we’re very much on the same page. We work hard to be on the same page. We’re going to continue to do what we do.”