NFL Trade Deadline: Three Thoughts on the Jaguars’ Deal for Ezra Cleveland or Other Items
At the last minute, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded a sixth-round pick in 2024 for Minnesota Vikings center Ezra Cleveland.
But when it came to defense, the Jaguars didn’t change anything. They didn’t trade an upcoming draft pick over a pass rusher.
The Jaguars had an obvious requirement on Tuesday along the offensive line’s middle. Sources say that the Jaguars have been calling about pass rushers over the last few weeks, but they’ve always wanted to add more depth to their offensive line.
Ben Bartch just couldn’t get back to the way he was before, Walker Little isn’t a real guard, and Brandon Scherff has suffered two ankle problems this year.
It’s clear in which Cleveland fits in when you consider that Tyler Shatley is probably better as a sub than as a starter every week.
What do we think of the Jaguars’ actions (or lack of actions) since Tuesday? We explain it below.
Now the question is how big of an effect Cleveland has. While Cleveland was in Minnesota, he was probably about average the last two years. However, he was doing well in pass block in six games this season.
He lost his starting job to a guy the Vikings signed earlier this month, yet he is still better than Shatley and Bartch.
It’s not likely that Cleveland will change the way the offense works, but he should make it easier to block runs and give the team more options for screens and pulls than Shatley did.
The Jaguars have had a hard time running the ball regularly this year. They are in the bottom five for both rushing EPA along with rushing success rate, even though Travis Etienne is having a great season so far.
Cleveland, 25, was picked in the second round by Boise State in 2020. He has played in 54 games with the Vikings and started 40 of them. He has played left guard most of the time, but his first season he played right guard.
This season, Cleveland began playing and played in six games at left guard. His starting deal will end at the end this 2023 season.
He also knows Phil Rauscher, the offensive line coach for the Jaguars. Rauscher was the offensive line coach for the Vikings in 2020 and 2021.
People should expect Cleveland to make a debut at leaving guard sometime following the Jaguars’ ninth bye week. The offensive line has had some problems up the middle.
There were 15 trades made by the NFL before the trade deadline on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. Deals were made for Chase Young (49ers), Montez Sweat (Bears), as well as Leonard Williams (Seahawks).
There was a lot of talk about trading Vikings edged rusher Danielle Hunter, Panthers edge rusher Ryan Burns, Patriots edge rusher Josh Uche, and Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson. However, none of these players were actually moved.
As our team of NFL writers analyzed and picked out the most important trades since training camp, we kept track of them all.
Since the Vikings had been watching leave guard Dalton Risner play for a few weeks, they were happy with his play enough to let fellow left center Ezra Cleveland go.
Before the trade deadline on Tuesday afternoon, the Vikings traded Josh Dobbs, a journeyman quarterback, for the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2024 sixth-round pick that used to belong to the Carolina Panthers. The move happened less than an hour later.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that he and Cleveland had become close since he was hired, after the Vikings made both of their moves.
“He was one of the first players I really got to know well when I moved to Minnesota,” O’Connell said. “Every day he was working in my office.”
Cleveland was picked by the Vikings within the 2020 NFL Draft, but he was set to be a free agent following this season.
He missed the last two games because of an injury to his foot. He was almost ready to play again, but he has decided to use his skills elsewhere.