Releasing this veteran would give Jaguars ample space to extend Trevor Lawrence

The Jacksonville Jaguars have made several important moves this offseason. The latest one was signing Josh Allen to a five-year deal worth $150 million with $88 million. Having locked up their best defensive players, the Jags can start working on Trevor Lawrence's extension. Moving on from left tackle Cam Robinson could help immensely.

Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report included Robinson on his list of every team's worst contract after free agency, noting that he's getting top-market compensation despite the fact that he's never earned accolades in the NFL.

"Never a first- or second-team All-Pro, or even a Pro Bowler, the seven-year veteran isn't particularly reliable or durable. He'll count $21.9 million against the cap during the final year of his current deal in 2024."

Robinson has spent his whole career in Jacksonville. A second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, he got the franchise tag in 2021. He got it again in 2022 but it was quickly replaced with a three-year deal worth $54 million. The Alabama product went on to have a productive season but he earned a four-game suspension in early 2023 for violations to the league's performance-enhancing drug policy.

The suspension also voided the guarantees on his deal, so even though Robinson's set to count a massive $21.9 million against the cap next season, the Jags could free up around $17 million in cap space by either trading him or releasing him.

Why the Jaguars can afford to move on from Cam Robinson

It's true that Robinson has never been a Pro Bowler nor played at an elite level. That said, he's established as a leader on the offensive line. His mean streak was sorely missed when he missed time in 2023, so it's easy to see why the Jaguars' brass expects him to stay in 2024.

On the other hand, the potential benefits of either trading or releasing the veteran left tackle offset any potential drawbacks. Leaving aside the cap space they would get, they have a pair of capable in-house replacements. Walker Little is the first in line.

A second-round pick in 2021, Little has been the team's swing tackle the past three years and has fared well when he's filled in for Robinson. If the Jaguars aren't sold on Little, they could then move Harrison to left tackle.

Harrison, the 27th overall pick in 2023, mostly played left tackle at Oklahoma but moved to the right side last year to replace Jawaan Taylor. Although he endured growing pains to start his NFL career, Harrison progressively got better. He said after the season ended he wouldn't mind going back to left tackle if that's what the coaching staff wants.

An alternative would be to use an early draft pick in the position. Either way, the Jaguars would have options in case they decide to move on from Robinson.

Releasing Cam Robinson would help the Jaguars extend Trevor Lawrence

Before the Jaguars gave Allen his new deal, they had $18 million in space. Allen would've had a cap hit of $24 million if had played the 2024 season on the franchise tag, but the number was reduced to $12 million with the extension. The Jacksonville Jaguars can get an additional $17 million in savings by moving on from Cam Robinson. That would give them a total of $50 million in space.

The Jags will need to earmark some of that money for the 2024 rookie class but they would still be left with ample space to extend Trevor Lawrence. It was reported in early April that the star quarterback may consider taking a discount as long as the organization invests the savings in other areas of the roster.

Whether Lawrence takes a discount or not, getting him under contract this offseason would be massive for the Jaguars. He could focus on having a breakout season without having to deal with the uncertainty regarding his contract status. On their end, the Jaguars could concentrate on making upgrades to the rest of the roster.

It's also worth noting that the longer the Jaguars wait to pay Lawrence, the more they'll have to fork out, as salaries for quarterbacks keep going up on a yearly basis. Thus, it makes sense to get a deal a deal done as soon as possible.

There's no denying that the Jaguars would miss Cam Robinson if they moved on from him. However, giving Trevor Lawrence a contract extension should be Jacksonville's top priority. If releasing the veteran left tackle helps the front office achieve that means, they shouldn't hesitate to do it.

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