Brad Meester Was 5th Most Overpaid Center in 2012

Aug 10, 2012; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars center Brad Meester (63) during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the New York Giants at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

Pro Football Focus has been going crazy with the Performance Based Value statistics.  They look at a player’s contribution and pay and determine, comparative to others, whether they were worth the pay at their position.  I like the stat and think they have done a good job of determining the relative value of many players in the league.  As it pertains to Jacksonville Jaguars center Brad Meester, I think they were spot on.

It’s no secret that Meester has lost a step.  He took a day off from practice almost every week of the 2012 season and the offense had to constantly think about keeping him fresh during the season.  Meester has had a long career and has relied on his veteran savvy to get past his physical shortcomings as he gets older and older.

PFF, however, notes that Meester got better and better as the season went on.

"Someone must have forgotten to tell Meester that the games he played in September weren’t a part of the season. Over the first five games of 2012 he had a Run Block Rating of -9.3 compared to just a -1.0 over the rest of the season. Playing decently the rest of the season didn’t make up for his slow start, which greatly hurt his Performance Based Value."

Meester can still be a strong contributor on a good offensive line.  While the team is rebuilding, however, it seems that it will be difficult to place strong pieces next to Meester.  Meester can be a capable offensive lineman, but it could be time for the Jags to move past the long-tenured player.  Meester hits free agency this offseason and, due to his slipping play, don’t be surprised if the Jaguars don’t re-sign him.

While Meester’s -$2.3 million value differential may seem high, the Jaguars really don’t have any better options currently on the roster.  Backup John Estes missed the entire season, and without a clear heir it will be difficult to move past Meester.

– Luke N. Sims

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