Realistic Draft Trade Possibilities for the Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a lot of options come draft day for the third overall selection, but one of the best choices may be trading out of it. The depth at LEO and wide receiver means the Jaguars can use that to their advantage to not only get a suitable talent, but also an extra pick or two as well.

The race for quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota means that the Jaguars have a coveted pick should the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Tennessee Titans pass on either. If that happens, the onslaught of trade offers will begin.

Plenty of teams have a lot to offer, and some more than others. It will come down to picking the best offer should the Jaguars decide a trade is best. Some teams can offer two first-round picks, and others can offer top players if they feel it's worth the price.

The Jaguars have to keep an open mind when draft day finally gets here, and I expect them to. General manager Dave Caldwell seems to be willing to go down whatever path works best for the Jaguars, including a big trade. 

But the first round isn't the only place for a trade. The Jaguars traded back to the second round last year, and they could do the same this year. They could trade back to any round for that matter if the team likes the player enough.

With the preliminary info out of the way, let's look at the realistic draft trade possibilities for the Jaguars.

Trade No. 3 Pick with New York Jets

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

A lot of teams might be looking to trade up if Mariota slips to third overall, and the New York Jets might be one of them. With no clear answer, the Jets could get one of the top young quarterbacks available in Mariota by trading with the Jaguars.

As interesting as that is for the Jets, what can the Jaguars get out of it? Well, most likely the Jets' first-round pick, second-round pick and a pick on the third day. Not a bad deal, especially considering the depth of some positions seeps into the second round.

At the sixth overall pick, two or three of the top LEOs will still be available, and potentially wide receivers Amari Cooper and Kevin White. While the Jaguars wouldn't have their top pick of LEOs, the selection at hand would still be preferable.

With the two second-round picks, the Jaguars can pick up a solid running back and their choice of either a LEO or a WR, depending on whom they took in the first. There's less to gain with the fourth-day pick, but there are opportunities to get a solid depth player.

Three top players in the first 40 picks is a nice situation to be in. Getting the best possible talent is the goal of the draft, and getting three of the top 40 talents is better than many can boast.

Trade No. 3 Pick with Cleveland Browns

Mark Wallheiser/Associated Press

Whether it's Mariota or Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, teams most likely won't be too picky to trade up. The Cleveland Browns are definitely a team that could trade up for a new franchise QB, and the Jaguars can take advantage of that.

The Browns have more to offer than the Jets, considering they own the 12th and 19th picks in this year's draft. However, the Jaguars can get even more from the Browns.

If the Browns are truly looking for a new franchise QB, they'll be willing to throw down more than the two first-round picks. It may not be much more—a third- or fourth-round pick—but the Jaguars have to stay aggressive to make sure they get the most out of a trade.

With the Browns' 12th and 19th picks, there are plenty of options. Running backs Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon are expected to be around until the 12th pick, as well as options at LEO like Bud Dupree and Shane Ray.

For the 19th pick, the Jaguars could get a wide receiver like Jaelen Strong or Breshad Perriman and really improve the offense and Blake Bortles' chances of succeeding. The mid-draft pick could be a strong depth selection or an investment for the future.

The Browns have the most to give for this year's draft, and if the Jaguars want to make a big jump forward in multiple spots, this may be the time to do it.

Trade with the Chicago Bears

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

If Mariota and Winston both go in the first two picks, the Jaguars aren't necessarily without trade options. Defensive tackle Leonard Williams and wide receiver Amari Cooper are both coveted players for a lot of teams, and the Jaguars can use that as leverage.

Of all the teams interested in drafting a receiver, the most realistic option seems to be the Chicago Bears. The departure of Brandon Marshall leaves the Bears without their top receiver, and at seventh overall, they miss out on both Cooper and fellow star receiver Kevin White.

If the Bears traded with the Jaguars, the Jaguars could get a similar deal to what they would get from trading with the Jets: definitely a first-round pick, probably a second-round pick and then somewhere on the third day.

But as I mentioned in my article on April 26, the Bears could also offer running back Matt Forte. The Jaguars need a lead running back, and the 29-year-old two-time Pro Bowler may be on the block along with the first-round pick—and maybe more.

The Jaguars could make a big move trading with the Bears, especially if Forte is on the table.

Trade Back into the Second Round

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

There is a lot of talk of the Jaguars trading down, but what about trading up? There is a real possibility that the Jaguars can trade up if they feel both the player and value are right, just like they did last season.

I see the scenario of trading back into the first depending on whether or not they want Jay Ajayi or Tevin Coleman bad enough, or if they think they'll slip far enough. No team wants to give up picks, and the Jaguars would try to wait as long as possible if they tried to make this trade.

In the 2014 NFL draft, the Jaguars traded their 70th and 150th overall picks for the San Francisco 49ers' 61st overall pick. A similar trade could be made should Ajayi or Coleman slip to the middle or late second round.

The Jaguars need a running back, and if they think a trade of their third- and fifth-round picks would be worth it, it may be smart to go after Ajayi or Coleman. It seemed to work last season, and I can definitely see it happening this season.

Trade Back into the First Round

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

It'd be a decent splash if the Jaguars made a trade back into the second, but imagine the shake-up the Jaguars would cause by trading back into the first. This trade would depend on multiple things, but if the Jaguars want one of the two top backs, this is their best option.

First and foremost, this trade would most likely rely on whether the Jaguars had already traded out of the third overall pick. If they traded with anyone besides the Browns, they'd most likely have two second-round picks and either two third-round or two fourth-round picks to work with.

From there, it depends on where they want to trade back to. The earlier, the more expensive (obviously), but they have to consider where Gordon and Gurley are going to land. 

If the Jaguars want Gurley, they'll have to give up a lot—maybe more than they can offer. But if they prefer Gordon, they can get him for a more reasonable price. Trading into the first at somewhere between 20-25 could be manageable.

They may have to ditch both their second-round picks and two of their mid-draft picks, but it may be worth it. Gordon and Gurley are a level above the competition, and if the Jaguars believe that the importance of a strong RB is a priority, it could very well happen.

All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter at @evanreier.