NFL News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

USA TODAY Sports

NFL Trade Deadline: Were the Jets Also Interested in Jaguars' OL Ezra Cleveland

Originally posted on FanNation Jaguar Report
By John Shipley | Last updated 11/1/23

Did the Jacksonville Jaguars land Ezra Cleveland over another contending AFC team?

The New York Jets seemed to have placed calls with a number of teams at Tuesday's trade deadline, and a lot of dots have been connected to the Jets and Cleveland, who the Jaguars acquired for a 2024 sixth-round pick from the Minnesota Vikings.

While Douglas wasn't committal when asked about the Jets' potential interest in Cleveland on Tuesday, he didn't outright deny it. The Jets signed offensive guard Rodger Saffold III in the hours after the Jaguars acquired Cleveland, which does at least suggest that they were in the offensive line market.

“I won’t get into specific conversations but I will say we had a lot of talks with a lot of teams about a lot of players at a lot of different positions,” Douglas said on Tuesday. “Ultimately, we did what we thought was best for the team and we’re excited about the guys we have.”

It sounds like #Jets GM Joe Douglas had trade conversations w/ the #Vikings for OL Ezra Cleveland but for whatever reason they couldn’t strike a deal. He ended up getting sent to #Jaguars for a 6th rounder ahead of #NFL deadline.

@nyjets #TakeFlight https://t.co/gIcTgc2FYr pic.twitter.com/8O4i73knKo
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) October 31, 2023

While it is no sure thing that the Jets were in on the Cleveland sweepstakes, it does speak to the Jaguars' acquisition of the former second-round pick that there were other offensive line-needy teams in the league who didn't make the type of move to solidify their line that Jacksonville did.

Cleveland, 25, was a second-round selection out of Boise State in 2020 and has appeared in 54 career games for the Vikings, starting 40. He has started most of his games at left guard, but did spend his rookie season at right guard.

Cleveland has started and appeared in six games this season, all at left guard. His rookie deal is set to expire at the end of the 2023 season. He has a connection with Jaguars offensive line coach Phil Rauscher, too, as Rauscher coached the Vikings offensive line in 2020 and 2021.

"Obviously getting a good player to come in here and help us and we've already got a good offensive line and Ezra can come in and give us some really good depth," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Tuesday on the Pat McAfee Show.

"And it's just a matter of getting him caught up and getting him in the room, you know, with with a really good offensive line. Guys like Brandon Scherff, I mean, he's the leader in there, and Luke Fortner. And, you know, I mean, you look at these guys, Cam Robinson, I mean, Walker Little, these guys are just busting their tail every week. So getting a guy like Ezra, his caliber, we got a starting-type guard who really, really solidifies you know, solidifies our offensive line and makes us better."

This article first appeared on FanNation Jaguar Report and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: