Jacksonville Jaguars News & Rumors

The Jaguars, who currently hold the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, have been viewed as a near-lock to pick a quarterback, if not with that No. 3 pick than with another early selection. Team owner Shad Khan confirmed as much today, telling Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link) that “everybody knows we’re going to draft a quarterback — maybe two.”

With the third pick in hand, the Jags are in good position to land one of the quarterbacks at or near the top of every team’s draft board, if they so choose. The Texans are believed to be eyeing QBs with the first overall pick, and while the Rams would likely target other positions at No. 2, St. Louis could also trade the pick to a team in need of a signal-caller. Even if multiple QBs come off the board before Jacksonville’s pick though, there are generally considered to be three names in the first tier: Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, and Blake Bortles.

Breaking down Khan’s comments, Hays Carlyon of the Times-Union likens the Jags’ potential approach in 2014 to the Redskins’ 2012 draft, which saw Washington select Robert Griffin III in the first round and Kirk Cousins in the fourth. However, as Carlyon points out, the team could also select a player like Jadeveon Clowney at No. 3, pick a quarterback in round two, then insure that pick by drafting another QB in the middle rounds. With eight selections in the first five rounds of the draft, Jacksonville has the flexibility to add a pair of QBs while still bringing aboard plenty of talent at other positions.

Chad Henne, who finished the season as the Jags’ starter under center, may not be out of the picture yet either. General manager David Caldwell has told Henne’s agent that the team will reach out prior to the free agent period to discuss the possibility of a new contract, tweets O’Halloran.

The Jaguars are open to the idea of trading the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, GM David Caldwell said at Senior Bowl practices this week, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Jags would be exploring ways to move down, since Caldwell also left the door open for the possibility of moving up to No. 1 or No. 2.

“I don’t think where we’re standing right now that we’re dead set on going in any one direction, whether it’s trading up, trading back, staying where we are and picking,” Caldwell said while attending Senior Bowl practices. “There’s going to be a lot of options there with the third pick.”

The Jaguars need a quarterback and could strongly consider Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, or Johnny Manziel at No. 3, depending on which QBs are still on the board. However, QB isn’t Jacksonville’s only need, so the team could also go the best player available route with that third overall pick, and opt for someone like defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, as ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper predicted in his first mock draft.

It’s still too early to know which prospects’ stocks will rise or fall, and which other teams might be looking to move up or down in the draft, but it sounds as if Caldwell and the Jags will weigh all their options between now and May 8th.