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Jaguars very interested in free agent OLB Brian Orakpo

By Will Osgood

Oct 12, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo (98) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 30-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo (98) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 30-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Free agent pass rusher Brian Orakpo will be a hot commodity this offseason and the Jaguars might be the front-runners to land him.

It looks like free agent defensive end/outside linebacker Brian Orakpo could be on his way out of the nation’s capital. Several teams have reportedly shown interest in the three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher.

Add the Jacksonville Jaguars to the list.

Orakpo burst onto the NFL scene in 2009 as a rookie, taking down quarterbacks 11 times in his inaugural professional season. He made the Pro Bowl in that his rookie year playing ‘Sam’ linebacker in a 4-3 defensive scheme.

The 13th overall pick in the 2009 draft looked to be well on his way to a superstar career. Then the Redskins made a switch, seemingly to bolster Orakpo’s production further.

They brought in Jim Haslett as defensive coordinator and transitioned to a 3-4 defense, which Orakpo projected to fit better as a draft prospect.

Surprisingly, his sophomore season production dipped a bit, down to 8.5 sacks. It was not alarming, though, as a reasonable excuse could be made that the switch to the 3-4 defense was radical enough alter his game.

Plus, there’s always the excuse that switching from 4-3 to 3-4 requires at least a year to master as the interior defensive line is almost an entirely different animal, and without production from those players, a 3-4 defense will surely fail.

Even with the slight dip, Orakpo made his second consecutive Pro Bowl, mainly on the name he’d created the season prior.

Interestingly, his production bolstered in 2011, though he did not make the trip to Hawaii that season. It wasn’t just the 9.0 sacks, but five passes defensed and a career high three forced fumbles which made Orakpo’s 2011 season the best of his career.

By this time Ryan Kerrigan was also in the mix. The Redskins were seemingly building a juggernaut pass rush. But then in 2012 Orakpo played in only two games after he tore his left pectoral muscle in the Redskins’ Week 2 win over the St. Louis Rams.

He returned strong in 2013, playing and starting in 15 games, recording 10.0 sacks, the second best mark of his career. But 2014 saw another injury-riddled season which netted just half a sack.

It is clear that when fully healthy, Orakpo is pretty close to dominant. When not healthy, Orakpo is just another guy. Any team, Jacksonville, Atlanta or whomever would be wise to check out the medical reports and weigh them heavily. But if Orakpo checks out, he could be a bargain pickup.

With Spotrac estimating Jacksonville’s 2015 cap space at around $65 million, the Jaguars will have money to spend this offseason. They can afford to bring in Orakpo at almost any figure the two sides can agree upon, while also throwing wads of cash at running back DeMarco Murray, who they have been linked to in recent days, and still have millions upon millions to throw at a superior offensive lineman to help protect Blake Bortles and open holes for Murray, should he come to North Florida.

Part of former Jets’ GM John Idzik’s job, recently hired as a cap consultant in Jacksonville, is to figure out just what numbers work for each player.

It will be Gus Bradley’s job to figure out how Orakpo best fits in the Jaguars’ lineup, assuming he jumps for the cash (and no state income tax).

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