4 Jacksonville Jaguars facing a make or break preparation period in 2022

No. 3 Jaguars player facing a make-or-break situation: Jawaan Taylor

This one doesn’t come as a surprise. The Jaguars want to have the best five offensive linemen on the field in Week 1 and while there are several spots that are already set, others are yet to be determined. Center is one, with rookie Luke Fortner competing with veteran Tyler Shatley for the starting job. The other is right tackle, where incumbent Jawaan Taylor might need to fend off sophomore Walker Little.

Taylor hasn’t missed a single game over the last three years and has started every possible outing. By virtue of having experience playing right tackle, he enjoys an early edge over Little but he can’t take his job for granted. Little displayed potential as a rookie and deserves an expanded role. The former Stanford Cardinal might experience a learning curve while changing sides but he’s got the tools and the upside to win the starting job.

The Jaguars’ brass is still comfortable with Taylor, with general manager Trent Baalke calling him a good player. The truth is that every NFL player is different and some need more time to find their footing than others. This could be Taylor’s case, who didn’t play particularly great in 2021, giving up six sacks and a concerning 12 penalties. Maybe offensive line coach Phil Rauscher’s tutelage ends up being the difference and if that’s the case, he must take advantage of it.

The clock is ticking for Taylor to execute and can’t afford to take Little lightly. If he does, he could find himself watching Little from the sidelines this upcoming season.