The Jacksonville Jaguars‘ 2025 offseason is a very important one for the franchise. With a lot of draft capital and a decent amount of cap space, they have a chance to turn their 2025 offseason into a franchise-defining one. The franchise’s future looked encouraging once the Jaguars hired Liam Coen to lead the team. Since the Jaguars fired Trent Baalke, things have been on the upswing in Jacksonville. A way the Jaguars can capitalize on this momentum is by having a great offseason, and it begins with evaluating the roster.
The Jaguars’ trade candidates currently on the roster can help make a difference, even if they aren’t on the team in 2025. However, with plenty of players floating around in rumors, there are plenty of truths and lies to filter through. Of the top Jaguars’ trade candidates, there are three that stand out as the most likely, with two others being unlikely and completely unrealistic. None of these players are confirmed to be leaving the Jaguars, but these Jaguars’ trade candidates all have some rumors and speculation over their availability in the trade market.
2025 Jaguars’ Trade Candidates: Who’s On The Market?
Of the five Jaguars’ trade candidates, there is one player that stands out as the most ridiculous and is only mentioned here due to wild speculation spread online. But before getting into the most unlikely and unrealistic of the Jaguars’ trade candidates, there are four very intriguing names to keep an eye on in the offseason who could be on a new team in 2025.
Wide Receiver Christian Kirk
The first of the Jaguars’ trade candidates is wide receiver Christian Kirk. The veteran wide receiver is coming off a rough 2024, where he was struggling in the first eight games of the season before suffering an injury that kept him out the back half of the season. Kirk had his worst season in Jacksonville since signing a massive deal in free agency in 2022. Now, with the end of Kirk’s deal in sight, he could be on the move.
There are always plenty of teams with a need for a wide receiver, including the Washington Commanders, who could reunite Kirk and Kliff Kingsbury after their time in Arizona. While the market may be present for Kirk, it likely won’t be a huge return for the Jaguars due to his large contract. There are also plenty of other interesting receivers on the market, including Deebo Samuel, Davante Adams, and Cooper Kupp. All of those wide receivers would likely garner more attention than Kirk and would net their teams in a trade with more value.
Of the Jaguars’ trade candidates, Kirk is one of the most likely to be moved. However, it won’t be for a very high pick. The most likely compensation would be on day three of the NFL Draft, where most of the Jaguars’ draft targets would not be available. A possible scenario would be moving Kirk as part of a pick swap, where the Jaguars move up in the draft by using Kirk in a deal. His value isn’t very high, but there are plenty of teams that would be interested in Kirk.
Another important aspect of the Jaguars’ trade candidate’s legitimacy is how the money works. Kirk will be a free agent in 2026, and if he’s moved with a post-June first designation, a lot of money could be freed up. According to Over The Cap, if the Jaguars trade Kirk with a post-June-first designation, they would save over 16 million in cap space, with only 7.8 million in dead money. A trade would save the Jaguars around ten million in cap space and would lay the groundwork for one of the top five Jaguars’ free agent targets to come to Jacksonville.
Running Back Travis Etienne Jr.
Of the top five Jaguars’ trade candidates, Travis Etienne Jr. is the other most likely player to be traded. Unlike Kirk, Etienne is still on his rookie deal and will be looking for a new contract after the 2025 season. Moving off Etienne makes a ton of sense for the Jaguars, especially with a strong 2025 NFL Draft class at running back. With Etienne entering the final year of his rookie deal, the Jaguars front office is not likely to retain him afterward.
Paying a running back who is coming off his worst season doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for the Jaguars or any team. It’s especially the case with Etienne, as the 2025 NFL Draft class has a lot of great running-back prospects. Taking a younger player, who will be cheaper and around for longer, makes more sense for the Jaguars, especially if the front office plans to pay other players in free agency.
A huge reason why an Etienne trade makes sense is also the money component, as trading Etienne would net the Jaguars over six million in cap space with no dead money. Saving money and opening a roster spot for a younger, cheaper, and potentially better player is a no-brainer for the Jaguars’ front office. But, as with any trade, there needs to be a party interested in moving assets for him.
Etienne’s market may not be a big one, but with a lackluster free-agent class and plenty of teams needing running back, the Jaguars may find a suitor. But, just like with Kirk’s trade potential, the Jaguars likely won’t get a lot in return for Etienne. A day-three pick or pick swap is the best-case scenario, but with a new general manager and front office, those picks might be put to good use, unlike under Baalke.
Regardless of the return, Etienne is one of the most likely Jaguars’ trade candidates to be moved. From his positional value rising, thanks to league-shattering seasons from Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry, to his contract situation and cost, Etienne has a good chance to be moved ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
Linebacker Devin Lloyd
The only defensive player of the Jaguars’ trade candidates is linebacker Devin Lloyd. One of the main reasons for his potential trade candidacy is due to being in a similar situation as Etienne. Both players only have one year left on their deals, and after the Jaguars signed Foyesade Oluokun to a massive contract extension, there is a reasonable chance that Lloyd will be moved in the offseason.
However, there is a massive difference between Lloyd and the other two offensive players from the Jaguars’ trade candidates list, and it’s how well Lloyd played in 2024. Of all the Jaguars defenders in 2024, Lloyd was the third-highest graded player by Pro Football Focus. He got two sacks on ten pressures, had 81 tackles along with 25 assisted tackles, and had one interception.
Lloyd has struggled in pass coverage, allowing no less than a 101 passer rating, with his 2025 passer rating allowed reaching 125. But overall, Lloyd has been a very solid linebacker. As he enters the final year of his rookie contract, the Jaguars’ new front office could find reason to replace him in the draft or through one of their backups who have shown promise. Ventrell Miller has had his moments when he gets into a game and could fill in for Lloyd in 2025.
Similar to Kirk and Etienne, Lloyd wouldn’t fetch a lot in the trade market, however, he could help net the Jaguars another pick in a deep draft class. The money won’t be an issue either, as regardless of whether it’s a pre or post-June-first trade designation, Lloyd being traded would net the Jaguars 700 thousand in cap space.
The Jaguars’ trade candidates aren’t the big names that are being thrown out in rumors across the NFL, but all would be beneficial adds for teams that couldn’t get one of the big-ticket players on the market. Lloyd is no exception; as of all the Jaguars’ trade candidates, Lloyd is both the most affordable and likely to be the cheapest as he plays a position many teams around the NFL don’t value.
Tight End Evan Engram
A common theme of the Jaguars’ trade candidates is players with expiring contracts after the 2025 season, and Evan Engram isn’t any different. With his contract coming to an end after 2025, the Jaguars could look to move him while they still can, especially with how stacked the 2025 NFF Draft class is at tight end. However, of the Jaguars’ trade candidates listed so far, Engram is the least likely to be traded.
Jacksonville doesn’t have another great tight end on the roster, with Brenton Strange and Luke Ferrell being underwhelming receiving targets from the tight end position. Engram is one of the best receiving threats at tight end and would be a huge loss for the Jaguars’ offense if he’s moved. However, there is a scenario where trading Engram before his contract is up makes the most sense.
This scenario would have to start with the Jaguars drafting a tight end in the 2025 NFL Draft; that way, Trevor Lawrence wouldn’t be left without an option in the receiving game, something that Lawrence has taken advantage of his entire NFL career. A huge addition to the team from the moment he got to Jacksonville, Engram leaving would not just sting for Lawrence but for the Jaguars franchise as a whole. However, if the stars align, moving Engram to bring in some other key positions is something the Jaguars have to consider.
An Engram trade would net the Jaguars a little over 11 million in cap space if designated as a post-June first trade. The Jaguars’ trade candidates so far have been very movable pieces with backups in place on the roster or their replacements being within reach. Engram’s situation is different, as not only would finding his replacement be challenging, but losing him would leave Lawrence without one of his favorite targets. But Engram makes the list of the Jaguars’ trade candidates due to his contract situation, and the Jaguars need to free up money to sign free agents at more important positions.
Jaguars’ Trade Candidates: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence?
Before even entertaining whether a Trevor Lawrence trade could happen, the answer the Jaguars will tell teams is one word: No. In no scenario would the Jaguars trade their franchise quarterback, especially right after hiring a new head coach to further develop said franchise quarterback.
After the rumors spread, they were quickly shut down by many different people, including Lawrence himself, when he said he was “obviously not going to Pittsburgh.” How did Lawrence even end up in these rumors in the first place that he could even be mentioned as one of the Jaguars’ trade candidates?
On February 13th, Ryan Burr on Twitter/X made a post that said the following: “Steelers have made inquiries to the @Jaguars about a trade for QB Trevor Lawerence. This is coming directly from the horses mouth in the Jags organization. WOW!” Who is Ryan Burr, and how does he have insight into such a deal? According to Burr’s profile, he works for Big 10 Network Hoops, and PGA Live. No strong connections to the NFL, and that lack of connection was confirmed by multiple journalists. The Pittsburgh Steelers never even called about Lawrence, and the rumors that spread were, in the words of NFL Insider Tom Pelissero, “Fake.”
Part of the reason why this speculation was gaining traction was due to the stunning trade of Luka Dončić in the NBA. Star players, who are young and the face of their franchise, rarely, if ever, get traded. But the NBA just had one of their best stars get moved, and that kind of trade gets everyone in the sports world interested in comparisons for their favorite league. Lawrence might not be as good as Dončić is in his sport, but the shock would be the same if Lawrence was traded.
Lawrence is one of the Jaguars’ trade candidates only because of wild speculation, and there are no scenarios where he is moved. The contract he just signed makes such a deal nearly impossible, regardless of draft compensation. That’s not even considering the feelings of the coaches, players, and fans, all of which would never consider moving their franchise quarterback.
Jaguars’ Trade Candidates Overview
Combing through the Jaguars roster, four names stand out as the best Jaguars’ trade candidates. Kirk and Etienne have been thrown around in trade rumors for some time and are the two most likely to be moved. Engram and Lloyd also have the chance to be moved, though they are both more important to the 2025 team than either Kirk or Etienne.
The big blockbuster name is Lawrence, though he’d never actually be moved. A rumor online spiraled into wild speculation, and it garnered so much traction that Lawrence himself came forward to dismiss those rumors. At the end of the day, Lawrence won’t be traded and is only included amongst the Jaguars’ trade candidates due to the wild rumors that spread and gained national traction.
Outside of the obvious non-starter in Lawrence, the rest of the Jaguars’ trade candidates all have reasonable chances to be moved. Whether it’s to free up money, get a new player in the draft or free agency, or get ahead of a looming free-agent cycle, all of the Jaguars’ trade candidates, outside of Lawrence, are on the block for other teams to inquire about.
With a strong offseason, the Jaguars can go back to competing in the AFC South and the playoffs. After seeing the Philadelphia Eagles have an incredible offseason that led to a Super Bowl victory, there is a lot of optimism around the NFL in making a deep playoff run. Jacksonville can kick off such an offseason by moving some of the Jaguars’ trade candidates to improve their NFL Draft assets.
The 2025 offseason is a huge one in the course of the Jaguars franchise history, and a good offseason, including moving some of the Jaguars’ trade candidates, could be the difference between the Jaguars competing for a Super Bowl or falling back into irrelevancy.
Main Image: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
