4 underperforming Jaguars who must be benched following the Week 3 loss to Bills

The Jacksonville Jaguars are a bad team. Leaving aside that head coach Doug Pederson just acknowledged as much, the uninspiring 47-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills is proof of just how dreadful they are. The coaching staff, on both sides of the ball, certainly deserve plenty of blame. Don't be surprised if owner Shad Khan chooses to clean house next year. Having said that, players have also played a role in the team's 0-3 start, the worst since 2021, when Urban Meyer was the head coach.

In the loss to Buffalo, several players made puzzling mistakes. Whether they committed penalties, didn't carry their assignments, dropped catchable passes, or couldn't block, these four deserve to hit the bench. After all, keeping them on the field would show that you can underperform and still keep your job. That's most definitely not the message a flailing team wants to get across.

Cam Robinson, left tackle

The Jags could've released Cam Robinson in the offseason and freed up $17 million in space. However, they chose to keep him around because they believed he was an integral piece on the offensive line. About that...

Robinson has been among the worst starters at left tackle in 2024. Not only does he struggle to open lanes in the running game but he's turned into a liability in pass protection. Against the Bills, the former Alabama standout gave up two sacks and a concerning eight total pressures, five more than the second-worst hog molly on the team.

For the season, Robinson has surrendered four sacks and 13 total pressures. Given that he's set to become a free agent in 2025, the Jags are betting off trading him for a ham sandwich before the deadline and giving either Walker Little or Anton Harrison a shot at left tackle.

Christian Kirk, receiver

Wide receiver Christian Kirk was one of Trevor Lawrence's most trusted targets the past two years, hauling in a combined 141 receptions for 1,895 yards with 11 touchdowns. That makes his recent struggles even more disappointing. It would be one thing he had always underachieved but he was a game-changer until he suffered a core injury late in 2023.

To make matters worse, Kirk said in the offseason that he wanted to remind everyone how great a player he was. After a quiet game in the season opener, the former Texas A&M Aggie double down on his message in a since-deleted post on Twitter. However, he's become a part of the problem.

While Kirk caught eight passes for 89 yards against the Bills, he also had a crucial drop in the end zone, one of many his had this season.

In total, Kirk has caught 10 receptions for 108 yards with no touchdowns in 2024. Certainly not the statline you expect from a player who's making $24 million a year.

Brandon Scherff, right guard

In Cam Robinson's defense, he isn't currently the only big who's struggling in Jacksonville. Right guard Brandon Scherff was also underwhelming against Buffalo, giving up three total pressures. Like Robinson, he could've also been released to create cap space but the team's brass instead restructured his contract to keep him around.

Scherff was eventually pulled from the loss to the Bills, and sophomore Cooper Hodges took his place. While the latter may not be the long-term answer at the position, he could benefit from the reps and show whether he should get a further look.

Roy Robertson-Harris, defensive end

Before the regular season, it looked like the Jags were stacked on the defensive trenches. Heck, they even moved on from long-time mainstay Adam Gotsis because he was the victim of the numbers game. Fast forward to Week 3, and the front four is indeed loaded... with underachievers. Roy Robertson-Harris may be the worst of the bunch.

Although Roberston-Harris logged two pressures in Week 3, he also missed two tackles and didn't register a single stop. He ended up playing 27 defensive snaps, which probably were 27 too many.

The Jaguars wouldn't create any space if they released or traded Robertson-Harris, but they cannot justify giving him more playing time when you take into account that he's actively hurting the team.

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