Ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. NFL trade deadline, the Jacksonville Jaguars reinforced their offensive line by trading for Minnesota Vikings guard Ezra Cleveland. In exchange, the Vikings received a 2024 sixth-round draft pick from the Jaguars.
Cleveland was a second-round pick by the Vikings in the 2020 NFL Draft. Throughout his two-and-a-half years with the team, he started 49 of his 53 career games. Through the first six games of this season, he had earned a 70.4 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus and allowed just one sack on 248 pass-blocking snaps.
He joins a Jaguars' offensive line that has allowed 19 sacks in eight games. He will likely take over for Tyler Shatley at left guard with Pro Bowler Brandon Scherff manning the starting right guard spot.
Cleveland could make his debut with the Jaguars in Week 10, when they return from their bye and take on the San Francisco 49ers.
