As training camp gets underway, the Jacksonville Jaguars dropped some big news that could have substantial ramifications in the upcoming weeks and even shape their initial 53-man roster.
The Jags just announced that they've placed offensive linemen Cole Van Lanen and Garrett DiGiorgio on the Physically Unable to Perform list to begin training camp. The good news is that, unlike the regular season, the team can activate either one at any time. The only condition is that Jacksonville will have to either have a roster spot available or make a corresponding move.
With that said, DiGiorgio is a long shot to make the team, so the latest news doesn't bode well for his odds of sticking around. Van Lanen, on the other hand, is projected to start at left tackle, so missing him for an extended period of time would be huge. The silver lining is that Walker Little can step in his place while he continues to recover from the knee injury he sustained late in the 2025 season.
The Jaguars will lean on Walker Little while Cole Van Lanen recovers
The Jaguars originally traded for Van Lanen in 2022. Although the former Wisconsin Badger didn't do much of note early in his stint in Duval, he became a valuable depth piece last year, playing several positions throughout the offensive line. Meanwhile, Little was the Week 1 starter at left tackle but struggled early in the season.
Van Lanen ended up supplanting Little as the starter. Not long after, he signed a three-year extension to remain in Jacksonville. But just a few days later, he suffered a knee injury that sidelined him the remainder of the year.
While the team's brass didn't reveal what kind of injury Van Lanen suffered, he was expected to return at some point in training camp. Based on the latest update, though, he could miss several practices.
Why the Jaguars will need Walker Little more than ever
A second-round pick in 2021, Walker Little became the full-time starter at left tackle when the Jaguars traded Cam Robinson at the midpoint of 2024. He eventually signed a three-year extension worth $40.5 million and was the opening-day starter last season.
Because Little struggled in 2025, he became the subject of trade chatter in the offseason. Couple that with the fact that moving him could free up nearly $12 million in space, and the former Stanford Cardinal seemed like a realistic candidate to change teams. Fortunately, the Jags had the foresight to keep him around, as Van Lanen recovers. Having him around for the start of training camp will be huge.
Sure, Little is coming off an underwhelming season, but he flashed in previous seasons. Now, the Houston, Texas native will have a prime opportunity to rebuild his stock and show that last year was an outlier rather than the sign of things to come.
For the time being, the Jaguars don't have to rush Cole Van Lanen back from injury because Walker Little is still around.
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