The Jacksonville Jaguars have improved their offensive line depth by trading a sixth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft to the New York Giants for guard Daniel Faalele. This trade was initially reported by Evan Barnes of Newsday Sports.
The decision to acquire Faalele comes as the Jaguars face challenges due to injuries on their offensive line. Patrick Mekari, who was expected to start at right guard, recently underwent back surgery and may miss the season opener.
Additionally, Cole Van Lanen is on the PUP list recovering from a knee injury sustained last season, while other players like Walker Little, Chuma Edoga, and Emmanuel Pregnon have also missed training camp time.
Head coach Liam Coen noted the team's dwindling offensive line numbers, stating, "We came into camp with 16 (offensive linemen) and got down to about nine the other day." He emphasized the importance of adding experienced players like Faalele, who has significant size and has played at a high level in the league.
Faalele was originally drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After two seasons primarily as a backup, he started all 34 regular season games at right guard over the past two years, earning PFF grades of 60.5 in 2024 and 56.7 in 2025.
Following the Giants' hiring of former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, Faalele joined New York on a one-year contract worth $1.402 million, with the Jaguars assuming a base salary of $1.215 million.
