2012 NFL Draft: Why Trading Down Would Benefit the Jaguars' Future

While the Jacksonville Jaguars have not made the splash in free agency that I and others thought they would, there is still time to prove me wrong.

But while the Jaguars are still looking to possibly add another receiver and defensive end to their roster through free agency, there is six weeks from tonight from the NFL draft. And for the first time, through the media at least, the Jaguars are talking about possibly trading the seventh overall pick for more picks in the draft.

Finally, someone is listening to me.

The seventh spot is good and bad at the same time. It would appear even though they traded out of the fourth spot, St. Louis will still be able to draft Justin Blackmon with the sixth slot.

Again, Jacksonville lucks out. Players like Alshon Jeffery, Michael Floyd and Kendall Wright aren't ranked high enough to be drafted that high. The Jaguars could look at defensive players like Quinton Coples or Melvin Ingram or Courtney Upshaw to help the defensive line, but they all have question marks.

The best logical solution is to trade down for more picks.

"I would clearly entertain moving back," Smith said in an interview with The Florida Times-Union. "I know there's a lot of interest in [Texas A&M quarterback Ryan] Tannehill."

Tannehill has been the topic of discussion lately as being the next quarterback taken after Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.

But wanting to trade out of the seventh pick and finding trade partners to deal with is a different beast. Right now, teams like Cincinnati, who may be interested in Trent Richardson, New York Jets, who need defensive line help and Seattle, who needs a quarterback, could all be dance partners. But the right deal must be made and the right situation had.

Gene Smith has taken a lot of heat for poor drafts and not seeking big-name talent in the time he has been the Jaguars general manager. The two moves the team has made so far in free agency address needs but they are minute compared to needing numbers. If the team can stock draft picks like other teams (New England), then those numbers can be realized.

But until now, we will wait and see what happens. If nothing else, it means the team's management knows what needs to be done to help the franchise.