The Jacksonville Jaguars probably won't make many tweaks to the offensive line this offseason. Sure, they could add a couple hog mollies in the draft, but the starting lineup won't undergo a substantial turnaround. That said, the Jags could hold a competition at right guard.
Jacksonville signed Patrick Mekari to a five-year deal worth $35 million in 2025. The expectation was that he was going to play right guard despite the fact that he had lined up on the opposite side the season prior. Things didn't go the way the team's brass envisioned.
Mekari was hindered by injuries throughout the year and was never able to hit his stride. While there's a chance he'll bounce back in 2026, a couple of Jaguars analysts believe the former Cal Golden Bear will need to compete for his job.
The Jaguars may make Patrick Mekari compete with Wyatt Milum
Michael DiRocco of ESPN made an appearance on 1010 XL and said that Patrick Mekari might need to fend off sophomore Wyatt Milum, pointing out that the starting job at right tackle could be up for grabs.
"I do think the offensive line didn't really struggle in the run game as much as the numbers would have indicated there. So, you know, staying healthy would be good too," DiRocco said when assessing the offensive line. (1;20:59 mark). "And you know, we saw injuries pretty much all up and down that offensive line. We saw injuries pretty much all up and down that offensive line.
DiRocco continued, "I think the right guard position is going to be one to really watch and see who wins that job there. It's not necessarily going to be Makari. So, you know, maybe that's where Wyatt Milam ends up on the field, and we'll see how that goes."
But wait, DiRocco isn't the only Jaguars beat writer who thinks Mekari will need to hold off Milum. John Shipley of Sports Illustrated echoes the sentiment, arguing that the veteran O-Lineman won't be handed the job. Here's the skinny.
"Patrick Mekari was the Jaguars' undisputed top option at right guard last season despite dealing with some injuries. The big-money free agent of the Jaguars' 2025 free agent class could face some heat in 2026 from former third-round pick Wyatt Milum, though, especially considering the kind of year that Ezra Cleveland had at left guard," Shipley wrote.
As Shipley noted, the Jaguars will want Milum to show what he has at either guard spot, but he may have a better chance of playing on the right side next season because Mekari was underwhelming last year.
Why Patrick Mekari could fend off Wyatt Milum and start for the Jaguars
A third-round pick in 2025, Wyatt Milum earned rave reviews during offseason workouts but suffered a knee injury in training camp that forced him to miss time. By the time the regular season rolled around, the West Virginia Mountaineer was behind, which is why he barely got any playing time. The expectation is that he's going to bounce back in 2027 and compete for a featured role.
On the other hand, Mekari has lined up at every position across the offensive line. Because it was the first time in his career that he was playing right guard, he had trouble adjusting. But with a year of experience under his belt, and if he stays healthy, he should be able to put it all together. If not, Milum will be lurking behind.
The truth is that the Jaguars should feel good about the state of the offensive line. The group should pick up where it left off last year. And in case it underperforms or the injury bug strikes, Jacksonville has intriguing options ready to step up.