The idea of the Jags Moving up in the draft is starting to gain traction.

Last week, we looked at a potential scenario where the Jacksonville Jaguars move down in the draft. With the 2024 NFL Draft less than two weeks away, the more likely scenario is starting to seem that the team will either stay put or move up a few spots.

Moving up is always an exciting process, especially with a draft littered with top-end talent at corner and receiver, both positions the Jags could use immediately.

In two recent mock drafts, different writers have the Jags moving as high as 12 to grab the guy of their future.

Ian Valentino with The 33rd Team thinks the Jags ship picks 17, 96 and 114 to the Denver Broncos to grab Washington Huskies wide receiver Rome Odunze. The Broncos likely are going to be one of the big trade back candidates as the draft approaches, as they are certainly not one pick away from being in contention.

In Gennaro Filice’s mock draft for NFL.com, he also has the Jags swapping picks with Denver. This time however the pick is for Toledo corner Quinyon Mitchell. Both players are inarguably in the top 3 at their position, and it is growing more and more likely that they won’t fall back to the 17th spot.

Two more trade candidates could potentially be the Chicago Bears and the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Bears’ second first-round pick is at No. 0. This pick is entirely a luxury selection, as Caleb Williams will go first overall to Chicago and the Bears can scoop whoever is best available at the backend of the top 10. The Bears also could trade back just eight spots and collect some later-round assets from the Jags if the Jags don’t think someone like Odunze or Mitchell falls to 12. There are even NFL execs who don’t think the Bears actually utilize the ninth pick (per ESPN) and opt to stockpile assets around Williams.

“I’d be shocked if they make that pick at nine,” an NFC area scout said. “[Bears GM Ryan] Poles loves to move around and build through the draft, and that roster still needs help in some spots.” Don’t be surprised if Chicago moves back, adds more draft capital and takes the best defensive end available wherever it lands. Laiatu Latu (UCLA) and Jared Verse (Florida State) are two options who would help off the edge in Chicago.”

The Raiders are also an interesting team to trade back, as they are not one first-round selection away from doing anything. At 13, the Raiders only move back four spots to still get a solid player, and the Jags have a chance to leapfrog division rival Indianapolis Colts by two places. Las Vegas could see a similar strategy to Chicago by amassing picks around a young quarterback, who the Raiders could still easily get at 17.

General manager Trent Baalke has experience trading up and down in the first round, as evidenced in the past two years. Baalke traded back twice in 2023 to get a stud in Anton Harrison and traded up in 2022 to take a solid player in Devin Lloyd. We do know that Baalke is never shy about making a draft-day move.

A trade-up in the draft to secure someone like Odunze is also more responsible at this point than pursuing someone like Tee Higgins or Brandon Aiyuk.

Both Higgins and Aiyuk have expressed a desire to play elsewhere, but they would require new deals once in Jacksonville. With the Odunze trade, the Jags can draft a cost-controlled player while also only swapping firsts and trading a third and fourth. Keeping a second-rounder in that scenario could then be spent on a corner, and the Jags get the best of both worlds.

A trade-up is not out of the question in the slightest. If the Jags want to compete in the arms race that the AFC South is currently undergoing, jumping up just a few places could make a world of difference.