Free agency is nearly upon us. On March 14, the two-day legal tampering window will begin before the new league year begins and players acro s the entire NFL will find new homes.After an unpredictable free agency period last offseason in which the Jaguars didn't target many of the top free agents they were projected to, there is no telling if this year will be different. The operative word in last year's free agency cycle, led by then-head coach Urban Meyer and general manager Trent Baalke, was "value".Will this again be the case with Baalke back at the helm, this time joined by new head coach Doug Pederson?"Are we going to go out and add talent? Yeah, we're going to add talent. We' Tanner Roark Jersey re going to add competition. We're going to bring value to the roster. Every team does that, and we're no exception to that," Pederson said last month when he introduced his coaching staff."But I see talent here. I said I think in my opening remarks a couple weeks ago that it's not an overnight fix, and it's going to be a fix that we've got to do it one player at a time, one coach at a time, and get Cincinnati Reds Jersey it turned around."In an effort to identify which free agents make the most sense to potentially be those players Pederson referenced, we are going to go through each position group to determine who the best fits are, ranking them in order.Next up: the slot cornerback position.1) Bryce CallahanOne of the top slot cornerbacks in the NFL when healthy, Bryce Callahan makes a lot of sense for the Jaguars after a 2021 offseason in which they weren't able to add a slot cornerback in free agency in Mike Hilton or in the draft. The Jaguars resorted to using Rudy Ford in the slot for most of last season, so Callahan would provide quite an upgrade as long as he is healthy.Scroll to ContinueWhile Callahan is a certified lockdown corner out of the slot and has the ability to be an impact player against the run and as a blitzer, there are durability questions. Callahan has never played a full season and has played in just 21 games the last Trevor Bauer Jersey two seasons, while playing in 45 games in the four seasons before. If he can stay healthy, he is a legitimately dynamic slot option.2) K'Waun WilliamsOne of the best run-defending cornerbacks in the NFL, K'Waun Williams could likely be had for a bargain considering he is a slot-only corner. Williams has thrived in San Francisco's scheme the last five seasons, appearing in 65 games and intercepting four pa ses with 17 pa s breakups, eight forced fumbles, 19 tackles for lo s, and five sacks.The downside to Williams is that he is better as a zone cornerback than in man coverage and wouldn't provide much athletic upside. He will also be 31-years-old at the start of the 2022 season and would be a short-term solution in the slot at best. Still, he is a high-floor cornerback who has proven he can be a solid defender in both the running and pa sing games.3) Chris HarrisChris Harris isn't the lockdown cornerback he once was, but he still offers a lot of value as a pure slot defender. One of the best nickel cornerbacks of an entire generation, Harris has to prove he can put to rest some of the injury woes that have followed him in the past, but he is a smart and respected veteran option who could quickly become a leading voice on a young Jaguars defense.Another slot corner over 30 (he will be 33 in Week 1), Harris is the third option on this list who is more of a short-term fix than a long-term solution. But the Jaguars need instant impact in the slot, and Harris's 11 years and 162 games of experience suggests he could do just that. He also has the versatility to play on the outside in a pinch, giving the Jaguars added depth behind Shaquill Griffin and Tyson Campbell.4) Darius PhillipsArguably the highest upside of any cornerback on this Brandon Finnegan Jersey list, Darius Phillips would present the Jaguars with a young and athletic slot option who could grow into the role over the next several years as opposed to becoming a one to two-year fixture. Phillips doesn't have the pedigree or experience of any other cornerbacks on this list (90 defensive snaps in 2021 after 593 in 2020), but he does present an ascending player.Phillips, who recorded five interceptions and 23 pa s deflections with the Bengals, would also offer special teams and outside cornerback depth. He doesn't have immense physical tools and he doesn't have the established background of others on this list, but he is likely the top young slot option on the market.5) Desmond KingIt Blank Jersey wasn't long ago that Desmond King was seen as one of the true up-and-coming cornerbacks in the entire NFL. Those days are mostly gone as King has struggled in recent years, including last years with the Houston Texans, but it could be a theme of King just needing the right fit from a scheme and organizational standpoint.If King can tap into his old potential, he is a high-ceiling and athletic option who can contribute against the run and on special teams. He doesn't have the floor of the other cornerbacks on this list, but he arguably has the highest upside and could even be a long-term fixture if he can return to his old ways.
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