Why NFL Teams Should Try to Trade for Laviska Shenault During 2022 NFL Draft

On draft day, NFL teams don't have to solely rely on the incoming class to acquire talent and fill holes on their rosters. Behind the scenes, general managers will also make calls for players on the trade block. Though he's a bit under the radar, keep an eye on Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Laviska Shenault Jr.

During free agency, the Jaguars signed Christian Kirk to a four-year, $72 million deal and added Zay Jones on a three-year, $24 million contract. They already have Marvin Jones Jr., who led the team in catches (73), receiving yards (832) and touchdown receptions (four) for the 2021 season, on the books through 2022. 

With the arrival of two wide receivers, Jacksonville may deal Shenault for a decent offer. ESPN's Michael DiRocco introduced that idea before the official start of the new league year March 16.

New head coach Doug Pederson could use Kirk similarly to how the previous Jaguars coaching staff utilized Shenault:

In two seasons in Jacksonville, Shenault racked up 121 catches for 1,219 yards and five touchdowns with a 67.6 percent catch rate. He also tacked on 29 carries for 132 yards, which highlights his versatility.

Like Kirk, Shenault can line up all over the offensive formation, but he's a bigger receiver (6'1", 227 lbs) who can break tackles and outmuscle defenders for the ball when it's up in the air.

According to Pro Football Focus, Shenault ranked first and second among 2020 rookie wideouts in contested catches (13) and forced missed tackles (16), respectively.

Shenault isn't going to run away from many defenders, but he's a physical receiver who will haul in passes in traffic and break through some tackles to rack up yards after the catch. The third-year pro can become a solid inside-out No. 2 receiver in any offense.

Because of the exploding wide receiver market, teams with a need at the position should inquire about Shenault while he still has two years left on his rookie deal. As a second-round pick out of Colorado, the 23-year-old has a contract that carries cap hits of $2.1 and $2.4 million for the 2022 and 2023 terms.

If a team misses out on the top prospects in this week's draft, the front office can try to flip an early Day 3 pick for Shenault as a backup plan to bolster its receiver corps, but which clubs should have the most interest in him? 

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

The Chicago Bears should stand at the front of the line. Thus far this offseason, they haven't provided significant help for second-year quarterback Justin Fields. 

The Bears didn't check off a need at wide receiver with Byron Pringle. He's going into his age-29 campaign with 67 receptions for 898 yards and seven touchdowns on a three-year resume. On Saturday, authorities in Florida arrested him for doing doughnuts in his car on a suspended license with a child in the vehicle, per TMZ Sports. The league may suspend him for a few weeks.

New general manager Ryan Poles must add more talent to the position group.

Chicago doesn't have a first-round pick, but it has three Day 2 selections. While Poles could use one or more picks on a wideout to complement Darnell Mooney, Shenault would come in as a known commodity. At his young age, he's a better version of Pringle, who's 6'1", 203 pounds with the ability to line up on the perimeter or in the slot.

With the addition of a wide receiver on Day 2 and Shenault, Fields would have a real reason to be excited about what his team did in the draft. 

Last year, Shenault hauled in 63 passes for 619 yards with a rookie (Trevor Lawrence) under center, ranking second on the team in both receiving categories. Within a short period, he could become a reliable No. 2 option for Fields too. 

For Shenault, Chicago can offer a fifth-round pick (No. 148 overall) and quarterback Nick Foles, who won a Super Bowl with Pederson while playing for the Philadelphia Eagles through the 2017 campaign.

Nick Cammett/Getty Images

Like the Bears, the Cleveland Browns don't have a 2022 first-round pick, and they need a secondary pass-catcher on the perimeter to complement their lead wideout in Amari Cooper. 

With that said, the Browns must revamp their defensive line if they don't re-sign Jadeveon Clowney. The Athletic's Zac Jackson thinks general manager Andrew Berry may take a defender over a wideout in the No. 44 spot.

"There are two reasons I'm currently guessing defense over offense for the Browns with their first pick. One is that it makes more sense for the Browns to prioritize the ongoing remake of their defensive line over the ongoing remake of the wide receiver room. The other is availability, a major factor in any draft guess. [Dane] Brugler and other folks in the know are guessing that there's going to be an early (and deep) run on wide receivers."

If Berry's thought process aligns with Jackson's, Cleveland may not land a receiver who brings immediate impact with one of its third-round selections. Last year, the club selected Anthony Schwartz in the third round (No. 91 overall), and he only caught 10 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown.

Schwartz played with quarterback Baker Mayfield, who pushed through most of the 2021 season with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, and he'll catch passes from Deshaun Watson going forward. But the second-year wideout is still an unproven product. As a potential upgrade, Shenault has already shown his upside.

In the event that Cleveland picks a defender at No. 44, Berry can try to flip a fourth-rounder (No. 118) for Shenault, which would be a better pickup than a rookie midway through Day 2.

Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Staying in the AFC North, the Pittsburgh Steelers should also keep tabs on Shenault because of the departure of JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington in free agency. Neither wideout made significant contributions through the 2021 season, but another addition to the position group would round out a unit that features Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson, who's going into the last year of his deal. 

Anthony Miller, who caught six passes for 25 yards and a touchdown with the Houston Texans and Steelers last season, isn't a lock to fill the No. 3 wideout spot on the depth chart. Miles Boykin caught one pass for six yards through eight games with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021. He's not a surefire roster keeper either. 

Furthermore, Shenault profiles as an ideal replacement for Smith-Schuster, who lined up on the perimeter and in the slot for the Steelers and has a similar body type to the Jaguars wideout at 6'1", 215 pounds. 

Even though Pittsburgh signed Mitchell Trubisky, the front office may draft a quarterback for the long-term future with one of its selections in the first two rounds. The Steelers may take an inside linebacker if they plan to decline Devin Bush's fifth-year option. The club can also add depth along the interior of the defensive line as Cameron Heyward goes into his age-33 term and Stephon Tuitt's return remains a question mark.

Pittsburgh could take care of a moderate need at wide receiver with its fourth-round pick (No. 138), offering it to Jacksonville for Shenault, who can bring the possessive receiving qualities that Smith-Schuster provided to the team's aerial attack over the past five years. 

    

Player contracts are provided by Over the Cap.