3 trade packages the Steelers could offer for C.J. Henderson
By Andrew Falce
With C.J. Henderson reportedly being shopped by the Jaguars, here are three trade packages that the Steelers could offer to bring him in.
The Jaguars took cornerback C.J. Henderson ninth overall in the 2020 draft. He played in eight games over his rookie season and flashed the usual highs and lows of a rookie corner. A defensive back, in general, is a hard position to transition to in the NFL, so despite not being a star yet, Henderson still has plenty of intrigue and talent to build off of. Recent reports state that the Jaguars are shopping Henderson though, and the Steelers should be interested.
A great lockdown corner in college with good size and athleticism, Henderson fits what the Steelers want to do at cornerback. Considering the general uncertainty of Joe Haden’s future and the cornerback room both this year and moving forward, the team would be silly to not see what the Jaguars want for Henderson. With that said, here are three trade packages the Steelers should offer the Jaguars for Henderson.
Steelers trade draft capital
Steelers receive Henderson, Jaguars receive a conditional 3rd-round pick
The most cut-and-dry trade offer is one where the team gives up just pure draft capital for Henderson. As of now, gauging Henderson’s value is difficult, as he has some high pedigree, but he didn’t light the world on fire in his eight games last season. If no other player is offered by the Steelers, then I think a third-round pick would be enough to secure Henderson.
On the flip side, the Jaguars would want to protect themselves a little bit if Henderson turned it around. The third-round pick is conditional, as it could turn into a second-round pick if Henderson hits 75 percent of the defensive snaps, and the Steelers make the playoffs.
These are not impossible metrics to hit, but ones that would indicate Henderson developed well in the defense. While the Steelers don’t have a plethora of draft capital, a trade straight up like this would make sense for the team.