NFL Rumors: Jaguars camp split over two players for first overall pick in 2022 draft
The Jacksonville Jaguars hold the number one pick in this week's 2022 NFL Draft. With the entire draft board to pick from, the Jaguars will have the liberty of picking some top players.
Normally, franchises are all united in their stance regarding who they will want to select. From the owner to the GM and head coach, they are all in agreement as to which player they want for their franchise to move forward.
Unfortunately, this isn't the case for Jacksonville. A tweet from Independent reporter Dov Kleiman has suggested that the team's GM Trent Baalke wants to draft Travon Walker with the first pick. However, owner Shad Khan wants Aiden Hutchinson.
Kleiman's tweet reads:
"According to PFN, #Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke wants to draft DE Travon Walker, but team owner Shad Khan wants DE Aidan Hutchinson instead."
According to PFN, #Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke wants to draft DE Travon Walker, but team owner Shad Khan wants DE Aidan Hutchinson instead.
This is hardly an ideal situation with the draft just a few days away. Many have stated that given Khan is the owner of the franchise, he will get the final say on who the team picks. But in Baalke's case, he will likely have a better idea of what exactly the team needs heading into the new season.
The team can't really mess up with their pick on either Walker or Hutchinson, but you don't want a power struggle between your franchise's general manager and owner. It will be an interesting watch to see who the franchise ultimately select with the first pick in the 2022 draft.
Jacksonville Jaguars hoping for improved 2022
In Trevor Lawrence's rookie season, the Jaguars finished with a 3-13 record and bottom of the AFC South.
The team was a tough watch at times last season, due in part to the discussions surrounding Urban Meyer and his tenure at the franchise. Their defense was a major problem as they gave up 30 or more points on eight occasions, with one of them being a 50-point effort from the New England Patriots.
Adding either Walker or Hutchinson would help with some much-needed pass rush. They have also brought in Foyesade Oluokun as their big-money signing on defense from Atlanta, while adding Darious Williams and Xavier Crawford for depth.
On offense, the franchise has put more weapons around Lawrence. Adding tight end Evan Ingram from the Giants, Christian Kirk from the Cardinals and Zay Jones should help them run their offense better than last season. They also got some offensive line help with Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff signing with the team.
With new coach Doug Pederson, the Jaguars will be hoping to improve on their three-win effort last year. They will also hope their offseason reinforcements and Lawrence getting another preseason under his belt will help them move up a notch in 2022.