The Jacksonville Jaguars are dealing with a rash of injuries on the offensive line ahead of the preseason. They were already without Patrick Mekari and Cole Van Lanen and later watched Walker Little and Emmanuel Pregnon suffer injuries in training camp.
The good news is that most of the injuries don't appear to be serious, and the regular season is still a month away. That said, the Jags should most definitely be worried that their depth in the trenches is already being tested.
The Jaguars will need Walker Little and Patrick Mekari back soon
The Jaguars dropped their first unofficial depth chart just days before the preseason. Anton Harrison, Ezra Cleveland, Robert Hainsey, Walker Little, and Patrick Mekari were the starters. The issue is that Little and Mekari are currently unavailable. Ditto Chuma Edoga, who's also banged up.
That's forced Jacksonville to plug in Jonah Monheim and Wyatt Milum at right guard and right tackle, respectively. This isn't necessarily a bad thing when you take into account that both of them are getting valuable reps. On the other hand, the Jags could be in trouble if either one gets extensive playing time.
Milum, in particular, was supposed to compete for the starting job at right guard. With Mekari missing time, he had a prime opportunity to seize it, but he's been unable to do so. On the other hand, Monheim's natural position is center, and his limited sample at guard makes it difficult to project how he would fare at that position.
In the midst of injuries, the Jaguars signed Geron Christian and Sam Mustipher. Both of them should play lots of snaps in the preseason. And based on the current situation upfront, they may even have a chance to make the initial 53-man roster.
The Jaguars should soon get Walker Little and Patrick Mekari back
It's never pleasant to see player deal with injuries, but the good news is that the Jaguars should get most of their hog mollies back for the regular season. Patrick Mekari has been doing individual work, and Liam Coen isn't overly concerned about his absence. Walker Little is week-by-week, but there's a chance he may be back for the season opener.
The biggest wildcard is probably Cole Van Lanen. He was expected to return for training camp after missing time with a knee injury, but he's yet to practice. At this point, the target date for his return could be Week 1 of the regular season.
If Van Lanen is close to being 100 percent, the Jaguars could wait a few weeks to have him back in the fold. But if he isn't ready, the team's brass should strongly consider stashing him on the Physically Unable to Perform list. He wouldn't be able to return for at least four weeks, but Jacksonville could give his roster spot to someone else.
The Jaguars have the depth to withstand a few injuries on the offensive line during the preseason, but they'll be in trouble if they have to go into Week 1 without some of their starters.
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