During his stint as a general manager, Trent Baalke had several hits, but not enough to make up for his misses. Since giving him the boot early in 2025, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been quick to fix many of the mistakes he made. They just took care of another one after cutting ties with 2024 draft pick Keilan Robinson.
The Jags announced that they released offensive guard Cooper Hodges with a failed physical designation. The move took place the same day they signed linebacker/edge rusher Dennis Gardeck.
A sixth-round pick in 2023, Hodges showed promise but finished on the Injured Reserve list with a knee injury in each of the past two seasons. He simply couldn't stay healthy, and his release might've been a sign that the team's brass didn't think he was going to be able to turn the corner.
Hodges became a fan favorite because of his Tugboat Tumble dance. Moreover, he fared well during the 2023 offseason to make you think that he could eventually compete for a starting job. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to shake off the injury bug. And that's the thing, you can be the most talented player ever but if you cannot get on the football field, it isn't of much use. This is a long-winded way to say that availability is the best ability.
With Hodges out of the mix, the interior offensive line depth chart is taking shape. Ezra Cleveland, Robert Hainsey, and Patrick Mekari will tentatively be the Day 1 starters. Wyatt Milum could be the primary backup at guard, Luke Fortner is the top reserve at center, and Jonah Monheim is behind him. Free-agent acquisition Chuma Edoga is also in the mix but may or may not ultimately crack the team.
Cooper Hodges is one of many misses by former Jaguars GM Trent Baalke
Of course, Trent Baalke would never have imagined that Cooper Hodges wasn't going to be able to stay healthy. That said, he drafted him, and it didn't pan out. Now, no general manager has a 1.0 batting average. Even the best ones have their fair share of blunders. That said, the Jacksonville Jaguars missed on several picks with Baalke at the helm, especially in 2023.
Sure, running back Tank Bigsby (third round) outplayed Travis Etienne last year, tight end Brenton Strange(second round) is an ascending talent, wide receiver Parker Washington (Round 6) has come through when called upon, and offensive tackle Anton Harrison is a fine starter (first round). But what about the rest of that year's draft class? Jacksonville made 13 picks and doesn't have much to show for it.
Linebacker Ventrell Miller (Round 4) could start, but other selections have left much to be desired. Tyler Lacy (Round 4) and Yasir Abdullah (Round 5) are rotational pieces at this stage of their careers. Antonio Johnson (Round 5) flashed as a rookie but was underwhelming last season. Cornerback Christian Braswell (Round 6) may not make the team in 2025. Meanwhile, Erick Hallett (Round 6), Cooper Hodges (Round 6), Ray Vohasek (Round 7), and Derek Parish (Round 7) already got the boot.
However you look at it, that's too many picks wasted, and the 2024 class figures to be the same. First-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. is without a superstar, and kicker Cam Little is a kicker. Similarly, Maason Smith and Jarrian Jones, drafted in Rounds 2 and 3, respectively, have shown potential. But the Jags already cut ties with Keilan Robinson, and a fourth-round selection could soon be next.
Ultimately, Trent Baalke got ousted for a reason, and the new regime is wasting no time undoing many of the mistakes he made. So far, the early results look promising.