Jacksonville Jaguars vs Green Bay Packers: 5 players to watch
By Luke Sims
5) Brandon Linder, center
One of the biggest moves of 2016 – and one of the most underrated – is the shift of Brandon Linder from guard over to center. Linder was a phenomenal rookie guard in 2014 and looked to be the best player on the team heading into 2015.
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2015’s emergence of the offense and Linder’s injury that limited him to just three games completely overshadow just how important Linder is the Jacksonville Jaguars. The bigger questions on the offensive line fall to Linder’s left (
and
at left tackle and left guard) and are intriguing to watch, but it will be Linder’s shift to center that really sets the tone for the big guys up front.
Two seasons ago Linder was good enough to make Pro Football Focus’ Pro Bowl as a rookie. Two years later he needs to prove he can adapt to a new position, rebound from injury, and still be the best lineman on this team.
Quarterback Blake Bortles needs plenty of protection and the running game needs holes opened for them. Through the preseason the offensive line has done a good job at both and Linder can carry that growth into the regular season with a strong debut against the Green Bay Packers. Keep an eye on him to see how he adapts to the new challenges in 2016.