Jaguars LT Cam Robinson's injury may pave the way for Walker Little to start

The Jacksonville Jaguars could've moved on from Cam Robinson in the offseason but opted to keep him around. The expectation is that he'll be on the roster in 2024 but a recent injury could make the Jags scrub the plan. The good news is that they have a more than capable replacement in fourth-year pro Walker Little.

Mark Long of the Associated Press reports that Robinson left Day 8 of training camp with a shoulder injury. At this moment, the extent is unknown, but the coaching staff can plug in Walker Little at left tackle without missing a beat.

A second-round pick in 2017, Robinson has spent his whole career in Jacksonville. He got the franchise tag in 2021 and again in 2022. However, he managed to strike a long-term deal with the team after getting tagged for the second time.

While the Alabama product has never made the Pro Bowl, he's become a mainstay and integral piece on the offensive line. That said, his status for 2024 became in question after getting a suspension for violations of the league's Performance Enhancing Drug Policy early in 2023.

Robinson got a four-game suspension to start the 2023 season and the guarantees on his contract were voided. He's set to make $16.5 million in 2024 but Jacksonville could create $17 million in space if they shopped him or released him. This has made the West Monroe, Louisiana the subject of trade chatter throughout the offseason but head coach Doug Pederson stated that he expected him to be around next season. Trent Baalke echoed the sentiment not long after.

If Robinson were to miss any time, Little would be the first in line to replace him. A second-round pick in 2021, the former Stanford Cardinal was seen as a surefire top-10 pick in the draft but a torn ACL, along with the decision to opt out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, made him slide to Round 2.

So far, Little has not gotten a chance to start full-time with Robinson in the fold but he's held his own whenever he's been given the chance. Last year, he gave up just five pressures and one sack during Robinson's absence.

Like Cam Robinson, Walker Little is entering a contract year, and both of them will do what they can to prove they deserve to get an extension in Jacksonville or somewhere else.

Why the Jaguars should roll with Walker Little at left tackle

Walker Little most definitely has the talent to play left tackle. The question is whether he can put it all together. He's getting a chance in training camp, and the Jacksonville Jaguars would surely want him to seize the starting job. After all, the prospect of freeing up a considerable amount of cap space and maybe even getting additional assets in exchange for Robinson is alluring.

All things considered, Little has fared well, but saying that he has had a dominant camp or an edge in the battle would be an overstatement. That said, Mia O'Brien of 1010 XL says that the Texas native held off defensive end Josh Hines-Allen on Day 7 of practice while Robinson struggled to fend him off.

Of course, there's a scenario in which the Jags decide to keep both tackles to ensure they're well-equipped to overcome injuries. Rookie Javon Foster's readiness could be a deciding factor. If he's still a work in progress, the team's brass may choose not to make any changes at the position, but if he's done enough, they could decide to move on from whoever loses the battle.

It's also worth noting that it's not been announced how serious is Robinson's injury. If he misses extended time, Walker Little is ready to roll. But if it's just the bumps and bruises that come with training camp, they can resume the competition and the Jaguars can decide who'll start at left tackle in 2024.

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