Poised for a big sophomore year, Rackley’s season ended before it even got started in 2012.  Source: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports

The Jacksonville Jaguars were abysmal in pass protection during the 2012 season.  Very few offensive linemen graded well and the 50 sacks they allowed during the season are just further proof that the unit played poorly.  But what if the solutions to the problems were already on the roster?

The Jaguars had a number of changes along their offensive line throughout the season.  Right tackle was an unsettled mess the entire year and left guard failed immediately following an injury to incumbent Will Rackley who landed on IR.  Right tackle needs a complete overhaul, but what if Rackley had stayed in for the 2012 season?

We looked at the offensive line in depth during our “Diagnosing 2-14″ series and it looked like the left side of the offensive line could have done pretty well with a decent left guard in the mix.  If Rackley had been healthy, then Eugene Monroe, Rackley, Brad Mester, and Uche Nwaneri could have anchored a line with a hapless right tackle position.  Instead there was a major hole between left tackle and center.  With the Jags looking to go defense, defense, and more defense in the draft it’s good to look at Rackley and ask, “Would he have helped?”

Rackley was thrust into the starting role at left guard during his rookie season.  Drafted in the third round of the 2011 draft out of Lehigh, Rackley was not up to speed for the NFL and it showed.  In 2011 Rackley allowed six sacks, seven QB hits, and 27 QB hurries 515 pass blocking snaps.  His replacements, Mike Brewster and Eben Britton allowed a combined 7 sacks, 11 QB hits, and 29 QB hurries on 533 pass blocking snaps.  Rackley was better than Britton and Brewster, but just barely.

Rackley was with the Jags when Maurice Jones-Drew won the rushing title, but he was by no means a strong run blocker.  Neither were Brewster and Britton, though.  Would Rashad Jennings, Jalen Parmele, and Montell Owens have done better behind Rackley?  Maybe, but that could be because of the cohesion that offensive line units gain over time together.

Rackley is likely not the solution to the Jaguars’ offensive line woes, but he would be a step up from where they were in 2012.  Entering his third year, the team website, and Rackley himself, think that he would have made significant strides during 2012 had he not been injured.  With the Jags looking to go defense in the draft, I hope they are right.

- Luke N. Sims

Feel free to leave comments on here or visit us at Facebook or Twitter!

You can also find me on Twitter @LukeNSims

This is the look of a man who is sad at the state of the offensive line.  Source:  Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The offensive line, and injuries along it, of the Jaguars may finally ruin their chances at another win this season.  The Jets aren’t the Jaguars’ last hope for getting a victory before the end of week 17, but they are a good shot.  With Mike Brewster’s hand broken, the Jaguars offensive line continues to get worse.

After Eben Britton’s first season in the NFL I never thought that I was cringe when he was inserted into a starting guard spot.  However, due to woeful play, Britton lost his starting right tackle spot to Cameron Bradfield this year and then he lost his starting guard spot to undrafted free agent Mike Brewster.  Brewster was originally slotted to be the second center but was forced to take over at guard after Britton continued to struggle.  Against the Jets, Britton will be starting at guard.

The issues of the offensive line go beyond a change at left guard though.  The injuries to the unit have stretched these men too thin.  Players who were to be on the bench have “emerged” to be starters in spots that desperately need warm bodies to be there.  Is Brewster better than Britton?  Yes.  Is he better than injured reserve center John Estes would have been had he been given the opportunity to play guard?  We don’t know.  Is he better than last year’s starter, now on injured reserve, Will Rackley?  We don’t know (but he easily could have been, let’s be honest here).

Meester isn’t getting any younger and his heirs apparent aren’t there to learn behind him right now.  Source: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Starting center Brad Meester, the longest tenured Jaguar, will be entering the Jets game with a foot injury.  He is probable to start after not participating on Wednesday.  Meester has been being rested at least one day a week every week this season.  Age is catching him and the players who were supposed to be behind him learning to take his spot, Estes and Brewster, are not there to learn behind him this season.

Right guard Uche Nwaneri, Meester, and left tackle Eugene Monroe have been the only constants at their positions this season.  But behind them there is really nothing for the Jags to work with.  Steve Vallos, signed back to the team four weeks ago, is currently backing up Meester.  He is not a long term answer and is merely a place holder for an offensive line overwhelmed with inadequacy and injuries.  Nwaneri has nobody behind him.  The only other guard on the depth chart, Britton, is startin Sunday.  If either of these guys are injured then either backup tackle Guy “Turnstile” Whimper, or Vallos will have to take their spot, leaving the offensive line tremendously weaker.

The Jets could have a big day against the Jaguars on Sunday, and a lot of it has to do with the offensive line.

This unit has struggled to remain healthy and has constantly been shuffled.  It is tough for an offensive line unit to be effective when they don’t know or trust the man to their right and left.  The Jaguars desperately need continuity from the big guys up front.  They won’t have that on Sunday.

- Luke N. Sims

Feel free to leave comments on here or visit us at Facebook or Twitter!

You can also find me on Twitter @LukeNSims

Get those legs stretched big man — you’re in for some work! Source: US PRESSWIRE

Even at that time, I was probably lucky I wasn’t facing off against Mike Brewster on the football field.  Most of the time, however, I had the fortune of playing with, and not against Mike Brewster in middle and high school.  Even as the youngest player on our team, he was a behemoth of a man.  Watching the 5-foot middle schoolers on the other prep teams we played against try to guard him was some of the best entertainment I ever saw.  Football, basketball, track – the coaches wanted him to play every sport because they could all fit him in somewhere.  He wasn’t just big – he was agile, deceptively fleet-of-foot, and had a soft touch around the hoop.

What stood out about Mike while I knew him was something that doesn’t normally stand out about high profile athletes during high school — how genuinely nice he was.   You never caught Mike Brewster without a huge, sheepish grin on his face.   Actually I’m pretty sure that grin and the “nice” gene run in the Brewster family.  His brother Billy had them, his parents had them, and he certainly had them.  And you know the thing about genuinely nice people?  People like to be around them.  There was nobody on our team – and likely no one at our high school – that didn’t like Mike Brewster.

That is a nasty look, Britton. Source: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Now I know my far-too-nostalgic Jaguar fans are groaning because the most characteristic qualities I can remember about our new starting left guard was that he was “nice” and “likeable”.  I know you old-school-fans want your offensive linemen “nasty”.  If they’re gonna be in the trenches, they can’t be nice! They need to be physical, they need to play with a mean-streak, and they need to do what it takes to keep the quarterback on his feet.  Old-school-Jaguar fans, you need not worry.  As nice as Mike was off-the-field, he was that competitive on-the-field.  His passion was indubitable and by the time I graduated, Mike Brewster wasn’t going to back down from anybody on the other team.  He isn’t in the same mold of lineman as the player he has replaced, Eben Britton.  Where Britton exudes some nastiness and violence even his persona (his neckbeard is intimidating), Brewster is a hard-nosed competitor that can get fiery – a little bit more like Eugene Monroe.  In fact, he’s like a more serious version of another high-profile Lake Highland Prep graduate – former Steelers left tackle Max Starks.

From undrafted free agent to starting left guard, Mike Brewster has made some huge leaps in the past few weeks.  With this big jump, Mike is certainly going to have some growing pains – the offensive line isn’t an easy position to play in the NFL and there’s a huge step-up in competition, especially in the defensive line in the NFL.  But hey, going from undrafted free agent to 3^rd-highest-graded lineman on the Jaguars isn’t too shabby in just a couple weeks?  Stay plugged in on the Mike Brewster story.  The Jags might be onto something here.

– Zain Gowani