The Jacksonville Jaguars have officially traded linebacker Joe Schobert to the Pittsburgh Steelers the team announced Saturday. The move comes after various sources reported the news Thursday night as the Steelers were on the field against the Philadelphia Eagles for their second preseason game.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Jags will specifically be receiving a sixth-round pick in 2022 in exchange.
We have traded LB Joe Schobert to the Pittsburgh Steelers. pic.twitter.com/8jgq1MofgF
— #DUUUVAL (@Jaguars) August 14, 2021
Specifically: It’s a 2022 6th round pick going to the #Jaguars for Schobert. https://t.co/tdDHY7MSx7
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 13, 2021
With the Jags not receiving a player in exchange, it’s clear they wanted to rid themselves of an expensive contract. Schobert, who joined the Jags last season when Dave Caldwell was the team’s general manager, signed a five-year, $53.75 million contract. However, Caldwell didn’t make it through the whole 2020 season as the Jags’ general manager and changes have been occurring ever since.
The Jags have a new regime in place now, and one of the players they’ve been impressed by is free agent addition Damien Wilson, who previously played for the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s been more along the lines of what they want at interior linebacker, and as a result, the Jags didn’t view Schobert as a fit heading forward.
With the sixth-round selection they are receiving from Pittsburgh, the Jags could have 10 picks next season if Josh Oliver, who was traded to the Baltimore Ravens, makes the final 53-man roster of his new team. They also have a conditional fifth-round selection coming in 2022 for trading Yannick Ngakoue.
