Jaguars trade WR Laviska Shenault Jr.

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. to the Carolina Panthers on Monday afternoon in exchange for “undisclosed draft compensation.”

Carolina has a fifth- and seventh-round pick in 2023; I’d guess the latter is going back to Jacksonville.

The former 42nd-overall pick had the best season of his career as a rookie in 2020, when current Panthers offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo was coaching quarterbacks for the Jaguars. Shenault posted 58 catches, 600 yards and five scores in year one but followed it up with a disappointing 100-target, 0-touchdown sophomore season. His rushing production also dipped from 91 yards on 18 carries to 41 yards on 11 attempts.

Shenault was a beastly offensive weapon at Colorado with shades of Cordarrelle Patterson to his game, but unfortunately he hasn’t been able to dominate in the same way at the pro level.

The former Buffalo is great at running through people, but… that’s about it. He doesn’t boast any more-refined football skills like route running or ball-carrier vision, and more than anything else, he’s just slow. Shenault doesn’t have the quick burst to earn extra yards on rushes nor the long speed to separate from defenders downfield. Believe it or not, strength is a much more effective trump card in the Pac-12 than the NFL.

If you said in the past year, “they should use him like Deebo Samuel,” shame on you. That’s like comparing your local deli to Guigino’s Italian Restaurant.