Jacksonville Jaguars can’t neglect offensive line this offseason
The Jacksonville Jaguars need to invest in their offensive line.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have plenty of roster needs. Quarterback is the most pressing one and they need to add talent to pretty much every defensive unit. On the other hand, they can’t neglect to fix their offensive line, as it recently ranked in the bottom third of the NFL.
The Jaguars’ offensive line is 22nd in a recent Pro Football Focus ranking. The analytics site says their interior offensive line is solid but the play by their offensive tackles was less than stellar. They point out right tackle Jawaan Taylor regressed in his second year after having a solid rookie while left tackle Cam Robinson struggled for the third consecutive year.
How can the Jacksonville Jaguars upgrade their offensive line?
The ‘Jags’ have 11 draft selections at their disposal and are projected to have $77.61 million in cap space in 2021. They can take pretty much any path they want to bolster both offensive tackle spots.
They will probably use the first overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft to take Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawerence, so it’s highly unlikely they will have the chance to draft Oregon’s Penei Sewell, the best tackle prospect. However, they have another first-round selection, the second one they received from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey in 2019.
This Jacksonville team could use that second first-round selection on a left tackle prospect such as Sam Cosmi, Liam Eichenberg, or Alex Leatherhead. They could also address another position with the pick, which is currently projected to be the 21st, and take an offensive tackle with the 33rd selection. This year’s class is deep at the position, and the team’s brass could get a quality player early in the second round.
The Jacksonville Jaguars can also add reinforcements in free agency.
If the ‘Jags’ want to address other position groups with their first and second-round picks, they can target an offensive tackle in free agency. Trent Williams, Russell Okung, and Alejandro Villanueva are all set to be available in the open market.
Jacksonville has enough cap space to make a run for whatever left tackle they please and also bring in someone to bolster their depth. They could target Kelvin Beachum, have him compete with Jawaan Talyor, and provide depth at the same time.
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The Jaguars have the resources to give their offensive line their makeover. Even though other positions may need more attention, it would be a bad idea to go into the 2021 season without adequate offensive line upgrades.