ClutchPoints
The hardest part about losing early in the playoffs is the realization that you were close enough to taste something bigger. The Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t searching for answers anymore. They’re searching for margins. After a season that confirmed Trevor Lawrence’s ascent and Liam Coen’s offensive vision, Jacksonville’s 27-24 Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills didn’t expose flaws so much as it highlighted pressure points. The Jaguars don’t need a reset. Instead, they need one decisive, surgical move. The perfect offseason trade could do more to elevate this roster than any splashy free agent signing ever could.
Jacksonville’s 2025 season will be remembered as the year the rebuild officially ended. Under first-year head coach Liam Coen, the Jaguars flipped a 4–13 disaster into a 13–4 division-winning powerhouse. They claimed their third AFC South title and closed the regular season on an eight-game winning streak. The offense set a franchise record for points scored, and Trevor Lawrence delivered MVP-caliber football. He blended precision, aggressiveness, and control at a level that finally silenced lingering doubts.
There were moments that felt destined. This included Cam Little’s unforgettable 68-yard field goal. There was also a sense that Jacksonville was arriving ahead of schedule. That made the Wild Card loss to Buffalo sting all the more. The Jaguars traded blows with one of the AFC’s heavyweights. However, when the game tightened late, the interior of the defense couldn’t close gaps consistently enough to force the one play that swings playoff games.
That showed the difference between ‘good’ and ‘ready.’
Jacksonville enters the 2026 offseason with the unique challenge of improving a contender without being reckless.
Cornerback remains a priority, especially with Greg Newsome potentially hitting free agency. Offensive line depth also matters. Ezra Cleveland and Cole Van Lanen may depart. That puts pressure on the interior to protect Lawrence long-term. Running back depth is a secondary concern, particularly if personnel changes force a reshuffle.
The most urgent issue, though, is the one that showed up clearly against Buffalo. It sits in the middle of the defensive line.
Austin Johnson’s free agency leaves uncertainty. With that, Jacksonville’s current interior rotation lacks the kind of disruptive presence that collapses pockets and erases run lanes in January football. With a tight salary cap and no first-round pick in the 2026 draft, Jacksonville cannot afford to shop at the top of the free agent market.
That reality makes the trade market the most logical and powerful path forward. Here we’ll try to look at and discuss the perfect offseason trade the Jaguars must make after early playoff exit.
Jaguars receive: DT Christian Barmore (New England Patriots)
Patriots receive: Jaguars’ 2027 third-round draft pick
At first glance, it feels almost too clean. That’s because it solves multiple problems at once.
Christian Barmore addresses Jacksonville’s most pressing need. He gives Jacksonville exactly what it lacked against Buffalo, which is interior disruption. He’s not just a space-eater...
