Going into this offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars definitely needed to upgrade their offensive line.
Come the start of the NFL's legal tampering period, the Jaguars made multiple signings including one to upgrade their wide receiver depth.
Following the Dyami Brown deal, Jacksonville attacked that group, specifically. One of their bigger signings came when Jacksonville went after a notable free agent on Monday afternoon.
The Jaguars agreed to terms with former Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Patrick Mekari on a 3-year deal worth $37.5 million. The contract can be worth up to $39 million.
Patrick Mekari gives the Jaguars much-needed offensive line depth
The 27-year-old veteran has been a staple in the Ravens' offensive line for six years now. What Jaguars fans need to know about him, right away, is the fact that he has played literally every position across the offensive line.
Last year, he played the majority of his snaps at left guard (822 out of a possible 998). He is a better pass blocker than he is run blocker, but overall, he's someone who can be thrown in as a solid starter at just about any spot.
With the Jaguars wanting to do everything they can to help Trevor Lawrence under first-year head coach Liam Coen, this is a warranted move.
It's not only warranted, but overall, it's a strong contract. The average annual salary comes in just under $13 million for a veteran who could be asked to step in and start anywhere up front.
The biggest overall worry for Mekari? He is often penalized. Last season, he finished with a whopping 14 penalties accepted against him. That is an astronomical number. It is a number the Jaguars would love to see get cut down by at least eight or nine, if not 10.
But, for now, he does give the Jags a strong veteran presence who brings a ton of flexibility to the line.
How about a grade for the deal? I'll give the Jaguars a solid 'B,' here.
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