It seems apparent that Dante Fowler probably isn’t a long-term fit in Jacksonville.
Now, we have to see if the Jaguars want to cash in their chips now, or hope for a salary drive from the former No. 3 overall pick.
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the Jets called the Jaguars to inquire about the potential availability of Fowler.
The Jaguars didn’t pick up the fifth-year option on Fowler’s rookie deal, which means he’s playing out a contract year. He’s also coming off a week’s suspension for fighting with fellow defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, and will be suspended for the first week of the regular season after last year’s arrest for assaulting a man, stepping on his glasses, and throwing his groceries in a lake.
But, he also has 12.0 sacks in two seasons, and in the Jets lineup, that would make him a high-profile addition. They’ve ranked in the bottom five in the league in sacks each of the last two years.
The Jaguars might prefer to have the insurance of a talented pass-rusher than a future draft pick, to keep a strong defense deep in options. But the Jets are smart to ask, if only to see if the Jaguars are sick enough of his antics to trade him for pennies on the dollar.