The Jacksonville Jaguars will host Ohio State star pass rusher Joey Bosa as they continue to explore their options before the 2016 NFL draft. The Jaguars could use a solid interior defensive lineman who can also rush the passer, and Bosa could potentially be effective at this.
The Jaguars still have an unknown commodity in right defensive end Dante Fowler Jr., as he has yet to play an NFL snap after suffering a season-ending injury in his first practice. The two defensive tackles for the Jaguars are currently Tyson Alualu and Roy Miller, and Bosa would be an upgrade to either.
Jacksonville could kick Malik Jackson inside and allow him to start next to Alualu while having Bosa come off the edge. That could be a pretty terrifying defensive line when the 2016 regular season begins, and the Jaguars need a healthy pass rush in the worst possible way.
The Jaguars could also get another prospect more suited to playing inside, but Bosa would be worth the selection. At the fifth spot in the draft, Jacksonville will have their pick of the litter, and if Bosa somehow slides past Dallas at number four, they would have to select him.
Jacksonville utilized their cap space in the most effective way possible- never overpaying for talent. The Jaguars gave a price range for each player and came to an agreement that was beneficial for both sides.
The Jaguars added the top free agent of them all, defensive end Malik Jackson from the Denver Broncos, who will be a versatile and dynamic piece of their defensive line. Jacksonville also added free safety Tashaun Gipson, formerly of the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns lost a ton of free agents this year, and Gipson was one of the first to leave the troubled franchise. Gipson signed a 5-year, $36 million deal that will keep him in Jacksonville until he is 30.
Running back Chris Ivory was also added to the roster; he was the last player who the Jaguars have signed during the first few days of free agency and got a five-year deal worth $32 million. Ivory will be the change-of-pace back behind T.J. Yeldon, who the Jaguars think can become a bell cow running back.
The re-signing of tight end Marcedes Lewis and additions of punter Brad Nortman and offensive lineman Mackenzy Bernadeau make the roster a lot more dynamic. The Jaguars' most recent big signing came from picking up former New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara, as they signed him to a one-year deal.
Now, the Jaguars will head into the 2016 NFL Draft focused on finding the best possible player available. If Jacksonville goes by that adage of taking the best player available, they would be lucky to have Bosa on the board, as he might be the best defensive lineman in the entire NFL draft.
