Jaguars OG Brandon Scherff not taking being named captain lightly

The Jacksonville Jaguars have announced their team captains for the 2022 NFL season and while there were several worthy candidates, only five players earned the honor. Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff was one of them.

Scherff met with the local media after the Jags’ captains were announced and he said it’s a huge honor to get the nod, especially because his teammates, not the coaching staff, were the ones who made the picks.

“It feels great. That was one of my goals, to do everything the right way, Scherff said.” Obviously, just trying to lead by example way. For them to vote me as a captain is a tremendous honor for me, and I don’t take it lightly, so I’ll do whatever for absolutely anybody in this building”.

During his exchange with the media, Scherff said it’s going to be weird to face off against the Washinton Commanders in Week 1. “I spent seven years there, had a lot of fun, had a lot of memories”, the guard said. “But’s going to be different. I’m excited because it’s the start to a new season and we’re playing football and this is our job, this is what we dreamed of doing”.

A first-round pick by the Commanders in the 2015 draft, Scherff has become one of the top guards in the NFL. After being slapped with the franchise tag the past two offseasons, he became a free agent earlier this year and signed a three-year deal worth $49.5 million with the Jags.

The former Iowa Hawkeye has made 89 starts during his seven-year NFL career and has earned five Pro Bowl selections and a First-Team All-Pro designation. Here’s Scherff’s meeting with the media, at the 12:18 mark. Head coach Doug Pederson and Foyesade also appear in the clip.

Brandon Scherff will have a big impact for the Jaguars on and off the field

The Jaguars’ offensive line is arguably their biggest weakness entering the 2022 season. But the one spot the team’s brass doesn’t have to worry about besides left tackle is right guard and that’s because of the presence of Scherff.

Looking back, it’s now shocking that Jacksonville threw bags of cash at Scherff in free agency. His impact on the field was a big reason why but his value off it also played a role. The fact that he was selected team captain in his first year with the team speaks volumes about how highly his teammates think of him.

The biggest (and probably only) knock surrounding Scheff is his availability or lack thereof. The veteran has not played a full season since 2016 and sat out 24 games (eight in 2018) over the last five years. But if he can avoid injuries for most of the 2022 campaign and just miss a couple of games, the Jags’ offensive line won’t probably miss a beat.

The Jaguars needed to refurnish their roster in the offseason and they had the financial means to do it. While they had to pay a premium for Scherff, it looks like the investment is paying off.