NFL Trade Deadline: Grades and reactions to huge moves

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Marcell Dareus to Jaguars

Grade for Jaguars: A

The Jaguars’ defense has the highest overall grade in the NFL this season according to Pro Football Focus. Despite that high grade, one area where they have been lacking more than any other is against the run.

Enter Marcell Dareus.

Despite his injury history and price tag, this was a great move by the Jaguars, considering they gave up essentially nothing to get him. You’re not going to get a player in the 2018 NFL Draft in the 6th round that is capable of giving you what Marcell Dareus does right now.

The Jaguars also have a ton of cap space. So, why not make this deal?

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You now have fortified a front that already included the likes of Calais Campbell, Malik Jackson, Dante Fowler Jr., Yannick Ngakoue, and Abry Jones. Dareus will find his fit in there, and could help put the Jaguars’ defense over the top, if it weren’t ridiculous enough on paper already.

I think this was a risk worth taking for the Jaguars, hoping to get the ‘best’ of Dareus, where the Bills gave up on trying to do so.

Grade for Bills: B

Despite the compensation that was received, I don’t hate this move for the Bills.

They have been competitive this season with or without Dareus, so having locker room distractions is nothing this team needed. In fact, this sends a message to the guys that worked hard and got the team where they are that they aren’t just going to be replaced by someone who puts themselves in front of the team.

With this move, the Bills are one step closer to being able to do pretty much whatever they want next offseason, making moves to get Sean McDermott the roster he desires.

Still, getting only a sixth round pick for Marcell Dareus is a tough pill to swallow, given how good he has been in his career at times, and what ‘could have been’…

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