The Jacksonville Jaguars have been dealing with injuries on the offensive line. They began training camp without Patrick Mekari and Cole Van Lanen. They then lost Walker Little. More recently, backup Chuma Edoga went down in the preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints. The silver lining was that all of them were expected to return soon — maybe by the season opener — or at least that was the case until the Jags got a discouraging update.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reported that Mekari recently underwent a back procedure and will miss time, adding that Jacksonville has yet to decide whether he'll start the regular season on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Even if Mekari doesn't land on the PUP list, back injuries are notoriously tricky. The Jaguars may not be able to count on him for a significant chunk of 2026, so they will need to look for short and long-term options at right guard.
The Jaguars expected Patrick Mekari to contribute in 2026
Patrick Mekari missed the offseason program and virtually all of training camp with a back injury. Head coach Liam Coen didn't sound overly worried about it, though, noting that the team wanted to be smart with him. However, the latest update cast doubts on his availability for his availability or beyond.
Compounding the issue is that Walker Little could start at right guard if needed, but he's currently dealing with an injury of his own. The good news is that he's back for individual periods, so he may be able to replace Mekari for the start of the season.
Another option would be to plug in Emmanuel Pregnon at right guard. The rookie was trending toward starting the season behind left guard Ezra Cleveland, but he flashed enough in the preseason opener to make you think that he could hold the fort on the right side.
.@Jaguars @Saints @PregnonEmmanuel had a fine debut playing the entire first half. Showed the same skills that we saw @oregonfootball last year..Very high on this prospect becoming a starter. #duval #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/TrlLsRQRD7
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) August 17, 2026
Wyatt Milum was expected to compete with Mekari for the starting job at right guard. But he hasn't been able to seize it even during Mekari's absence.
Patrick Mekari's short and long-term future with the Jaguars is in question
Patrick Mekari signed a three-year deal worth $35 million with the Jaguars in 2025. He was their biggest acquisition in free agency but left much to be desired, giving up two sacks and 34 total pressures. Some of his struggles may have stemmed from his switch to right guard, a position he had never played full-time. Compounding the issue was that the former California Golden Bear suffered a back injury that hindered his production late in 2025.
The expectation was that Mekari could bounce back in 2026 if he could stay healthy. He hasn't. Another year at right guard could have helped the veteran hog molly hit his stride, but it's hard to tell when he'll be back and whether he'll be able to reclaim his job.
For the sake of argument, let's say Mekari returns at some point of the regular season, but Emmanuel Pregnon or whoever is replacing him is playing well. The Jags probably won't plug him back into the starting lineup.
Beyond 2026, the Jags could release him in 2027 to free up $13 million in space. Those savings could come in handy when re-signing some of the team's free agents.
Of course, Patrick Mekari could return in 2026 and reclaim his starting job. That scenario shouldn't be ruled out just yet. However, the latest injury update will certainly make it more challenging.
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