JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The hits keep coming.
On the same day the Jaguars officially lost nose tackle Davon Hamilton for the rest of the season, they also lost another veteran defensive starter in safety Eric Murray.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said Monday in a Zoom with local reporters that Murray will also miss the rest of the season after he sustained an elbow injury on the opening kickoff of Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Jaguars have other options at the position; the hope is Antonio Johnson will return from his ankle injury, Rayuan Lane has impressed, and so has Kaevon Merriweather. Then there is third-round safety Jalen Huskey. But Murray played a big role, and the Jaguars already have Caleb Ransaw on injured reserve, so reinforcements are needed.
So if the Jaguars were to look to the trade market for safety help, which options would make sense? We break it down below.
Nov 1, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) walks off the field after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
We mentioned Budda Baker last week as an option the Jaguars should pursue right away, and that was before Murray went down for the season. Now that the Jaguars are without their most veteran and experienced safety, Baker would somehow make even more sense for the Jaguars now than he did this time a week ago. With the Jaguars badly needing somebody in the back-end outside of Jourdan Lewis who has simply seen and played a lot of football, few options make more sense than Baker.
The Jaguars' brass should know exactly what Baker can do, too, considering the time that Liam Coen and James Gladstone each spent in Los Angeles facing Baker twice a year in the NFC West. Baker is productive, experienced, versatile, and would give the Jaguars quite a sense of security in the back-end. The Cardinals have won a few games, but they need picks more than anything right now.
Oct 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III (3) reacts after an interception with safety Xavier Watts (31) against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Yes, the Atlanta Falcons are still in the mix of things in the NFC South since it is such a rotten division. But it is tough to say the Falcons are going to have great chances to re-sign star safety Jessie Bates once his contract expires since all they have really done since he was signed is lose games. If they are going to lose Bates anyways, why not take some picks for him now? Especially with an ascending safety next to him in Xavier Watts.
Bates would be a potential rental depending on how the Jaguars move forward with his free agency, but what a rental he would be. He has 14 interceptions and 11 forced fumbles in four seasons in Atlanta and has simply been a walking big-play threat. After almost a decade of elite safety play, the All-Pro would be exactly what the Jaguars need on defense right now. They would haver to make it worthwhile for the Falcons, but it would certainly be worth it.
Dec 15, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Elijah Molden (22) celebrates after a fumble recovery in the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
If the Jaguars want a cheaper option at safety, what about Los Angeles Chargers defensive back Elijah Molden? He is versatile due to his ability as both a single-high safety and in the slot as a nickel defender, he tackles, and he is cheap. With the Chargers sitting at 0-7, there is no real reason they wouldn't be willing to deal a player like Molden unless they are just determined to be stubborn entering next Tuesday.
Molden may not offer the ceiling of players like Baker and Bates, but he does represent a high floor while also bringing plenty of experience. Molden would also likely cost a mid-to-late Day 3 pick, making him the cheapest player on this list by a few different definitions. Molden is a good player, and he would certtainly help the Jaguars in the wake of Murray's injury.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/onsi as 3 Trades the Jaguars Must Immediately Consider to Replace Eric Murray .
