Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agency 2015: 5 Offensive Linemen to Consider
By Luke Sims
The Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line need attention and Tom Coughlin is committed to making it strong, suggesting big spending in 2017 NFL free agency.
Not every team is as capable as the Jacksonville Jaguars to spend big on offensive linemen to rebuild arguably the most important position group in football. With around $73 million in cap space, the Jaguars are poised to spend big in doing what executive vice president for football operations Tom Coughlin wants to do: bolster the offensive line.
While the Jags are trading for Branden Albert (official on March ninth, start of the new league year) who can play left tackle or guard, the team only has one truly impressive offensive lineman on the roster: Brandon Linder. Converted from guard to center, Linder is the stalwart player around which the offensive line must be built.
The Jaguars have some level of flexibility with the offensive line as a result. Linder’s ability to play guard or center coupled with Albert’s ability to play tackle or guard enables the Jags to secure services of other players and fit them in as needed.
To say there is a need for an upgrade at almost every position would be an understatement. It would not be inconceivable to see four new starters on the O-Line in 2017, though it is unlikely that the numbers will be that high. The new offensive linemen could come from free agency or the 2017 NFL Draft, depending on who the Jags see as quality additions and who is available.