The Jacksonville Jaguars dilemma this season is figuring out how they’re going to get better when they’re already in the negatives in terms of cap space available to them. Every other team in their division has stayed the same or improved, and the Jaguars look like the odd man out.
They’ve never won the AFC South in consecutive seasons in their franchise history, and that’s the type of history that Liam Coen wants to rewrite during his time as their head coach. He provided a big boost to their offense, but it was their defense that stepped up and made them into the 13-win team they were in 2025.
Devin Lloyd was arguably their best player on defense, and he’ll likely be leaving them this offseason due to their lack of money. Their outlook on defense looks better with Travis Hunter being fully committed as a defensive back, but they need a way to mitigate the damage of Lloyd’s imminent departure.
Mason Cameron writes for Pro Football Focus, and he wrote an article breaking down the top five ideal landing spots for five of the best safeties on the market. The Jaguars were listed as one of the best destinations for Jalen Thompson to call his new home.
“Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile deploys a high rate of open coverages, utilizing two deep safeties. Last season, only three teams ran a higher percentage of two-high looks than the Jaguars (52.3%), one of which was the Arizona Cardinals (53.4%). That connection makes Thompson a seamless fit, as he has earned an 83.5 PFF coverage grade in open coverages, excelling in quarters and half-field zone responsibilities”, said Cameron.
Thompson has been a long-time veteran with the Cardinals, playing with them for all seven seasons of his career. He’s going to a new team for the first time in his career, and the Jaguars have a need at safety with Andrew Wingard likely not coming back for another season.
Thompson had an incredible season in 2023 after the Cardinals extended his rookie contract, but his production has fizzled out in the last two seasons. However, even with him not intercepting a pass since his career year, he’s still a force to be reckoned with on deep passes and coverages.
This would be the ideal way for them to improve their defense, but it would come at a steep price. According to Spotrac, his market value is a deal worth $30 million, and that’s money the Jaguars don’t have to spend. If they can find a way to get him in Jacksonville, he’d help out their defense a lot.
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