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.
Steelers trade Wormley
Steelers receive Henderson, Jaguars receive Wormley, and a 2022 4th round pick
What makes the Steelers trading for Henderson difficult is that they currently don’t have a fourth or fifth-round draft pick. While they are projected to receive a comp pick in that range, that won’t be official until the next offseason. Thus, the team has to get a little creative and use some picks from the 2022 draft. That requires giving up a key reserve.
It is no secret that the Jaguars are lacking along their defensive line. They had signed Tyson Alualu earlier in the offseason, but he decided to return to the Steelers after mulling over his options more. This line has little in terms of talent or depth, which is why they could be interested in a defensive end like Chris Wormley.
While far from an elite defender, Wormley is great against the run and showed some pass-rushing moves late in the season last year. Given just how weak this group is, Wormley would likely be a starter in Jacksonville.
Even if the Jaguars saw Wormley as a starter, it wouldn’t be enough to fetch Henderson outright. Instead, the team would still have to give up some significant draft capital, this time in the way of a future fourth-round selection. Less value in draft picks than before, but it isn’t a far jump. The Jaguars would get a new lineman to add to their mix while the Steelers would land a talented cornerback to work on developing.
Steelers trade Washington
Steelers receive Henderson, Jaguars receive Washington and a conditional 6th-round pick
This last deal makes the most sense out of any of them to me. While the James Washington trade rumors have been disputed, it would certainly make sense for the former second-round pick to be moved. He is in the last year of his contract and is firmly the fourth receiver in a pretty stacked room. The Jaguars aren’t desperate for a receiver, but Washington would be an upgrade over Marvin Jones.
While Washington is the more established veteran, Henderson does hold slightly more value at this time given how high of a draft pick he was. The Steelers throw in a conditional sixth-round pick to sweeten the deal here. That sixth-round pick is tied to certain play stats for Washington, and if he hits them then the sixth-round pick is no longer a part of the deal in question.
This deal makes the most sense for both sides. The Jaguars get an upgrade for Trevor Lawrence to throw to and the Steelers get a new and talented face for their secondary. The sixth-round pick is additional collateral in case Washington doesn’t produce for the Jaguars. Given the team’s lack of draft capital though, this move makes a lot of sense for both sides.
With the Jaguars reportedly shopping their former top ten pick, it would make a lot of sense for the Steelers to be interested at the right price. With the number of short and long-term questions in this secondary, adding a talent with the long-term potential of Henderson would be a good move. One of these three trades could be enough for the team to land Henderson in a trade with the Jaguars.