Jags face decisions with LT, others
Unlike last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars will not be able to wiggle out of this offseason.
Last season, the team retained most starters, with nine out of 11 returning on offense, and all 11 on defense. Only receiver Marvin Jones and right tackle Jawaan Taylor departed as starters during the 2022 season. They were replaced by veteran receiver Calvin Ridley and rookie offensive lineman Anton Harrison.
This year, the Jaguars might not have that luxury if they want to have salarycap freedom and flexibility.
Jacksonville will have at least 15 players hit the open market this offseason as unrestricted free agents, barring any franchise/transition tags used before the start of the new league year on March 13. They could have more before then.
One name that has generated plenty of interest is left tackle Cam Robinson, who was drafted by the team in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. Robinson is not set to hit free agency but is entering the final year of a three-year, $52.75 million contract extension he signed before the 2022 season.
Robinson is set to account for $21,168,157 of the team’s cap space next year, making $16.25 million in base salary to go along with roster and workout bonuses, according to Over The Cap.
Though multiple websites vary, the Jaguars are projected to have anywhere from $11,574,167 to $17,552,209 in cap space to bring in new players via free agency or retain their own.
To put it in perspective, the franchise tag for a linebacker is projected to be around $22,794,00 on a one-year, fully
guaranteed deal. If the team opts to use the tag on outside linebacker Josh Allen, based on some projections, they might have to make room to do it.
That makes situations like Robinson’s intriguing. Jacksonville could save $17,279,412 by releasing him before June 1.
It seems like an easy decision.
Given that, when asked about Robinson’s status with the team in 2024, Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said he would “not commit to anything right now,” the Jaguars are contemplating the situation themselves.
“We got some work to do, we got some hard discussions to be had,” Baalke said at his end-of-season press conference.
Cam Robinson’s injury history and recent play make things tricky
There’s no question that Robinson brings a different edge to the Jaguars’ offensive line.
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson often mentioned throughout the season that Robinson’s presence helped the team and added something different to the offensive line.
“Cam brings a level of physicality, he brings some excitement and enthusiasm to that O-line, so something that we’re looking forward to,” Pederson said in late December as Robinson was making his way back from the team’s reserve/injured list.
Robinson missed all but nine games last year after serving a four-game suspension to open the season and dealing with a knee injury suffered in Week 12 against the Houston Texans.
Since being drafted by the team in 2017, Robinson has played a full regular season (16 or 17 games) just once (2020).
In 2018 Robinson tore the ACL in his left knee, missing 14 games. He played 14 games in 2019 after missing the first two games of the season. Robinson missed the final two games of the 2021 season due to the league’s COVID-19 protocol.
In 2022, Robinson suffered a season-ending knee injury, forcing him to miss the final three games of the regular season and two playoff games.
Robinson has not been consistent at staying on the field, something the Jaguars will have to keep in mind when deciding on his future in Jacksonville.
Still, since 2021, Robinson has been one of the team’s best pass blockers, according to Pro Football Focus. Robinson has allowed just eight sacks over the last three years, including three sacks allowed in 352 passblock snaps in 2023.
He has improved his pass-block trade in each of the last three years, including a career-high 78.8 in 2023. Before logging a pass-block grade of 76.6 in 2021, Robinson never scored higher than 68.9 (two games in 2018).
Robinson, when healthy, is one of the team’s most consistent players. After a year of inconsistency, it might behoove the team to retain him. But will his injury history make that tough to do?
What could replacing Robinson look like in 2024?
The big question the brass in Jacksonville will have to ask themselves is whether the team has a replacement option in-house for Robinson.
One logical guess is Walker Little, who was drafted in the second round of Baalke’s first draft class in 2021. The team has not yet settled Little into a particular role.
Operating as both a swing and starting tackle as well as guard in 2023, Little never got comfortable. Injuries that kept him out of multiple games also prevented a full-season evaluation of the offensive lineman.
Still, Little has consistently been involved in some form of the team’s starting lineup. When healthy, Little accounted for 68% of the team’s offensive snaps with 11 starts at either left guard or left tackle.
Little’s play at tackle has been more good than bad, but a bit inconsistent. After starting the season hot during Robinson’s four-game suspension, Little struggled when asked to transition back to tackle from left guard during Robinson’s late-season absence due to a knee injury.
Little’s time being sidelined forced the team to start then-newly acquired guard Ezra Cleveland at tackle in Week 14 against the Cleveland Browns.
Given the team’s inconsistencies in how they utilized him and Little’s inconsistent play, it might behoove the team to look in another direction if they need a permanent long-term replacement for Robinson.
Baalke indicated that Anton Harrison, the team’s bright-light rookie right tackle, could play on the left side if necessary, praising Harrison for his play during his rookie season.
“He’s only going to get better, there’s another young guy that really loves the game, loves to work, and loves to compete. We expect great things from him. Do we feel like he can play left? Absolutely we do,” Baalke said.
Of course, moving Harrison to the left side would open a hole on the right side for a second straight year. But Jacksonville may find it easier to fix that side than the side protecting Trevor Lawrence’s blind side.
A contract extension might make sense for Robinson, Jags
Logically, it makes sense for the Jaguars to release Robinson, saving $17,279,412 against their 2024 salary cap. The team has plenty of needs, including on its offensive line and saving money to bring fresh players in, giving the team better depth at the position.
However, the right train of thought is Robinson cannot be back on the team in 2024 at that cost against the team’s salary cap.
That means, the Jaguars could retain Robinson, but lower his cap hit this coming season through a contract restructuring or simple extension, adding more years or more years and money to stretch out his deal.
The Jaguars knew this scenario could happen when they first re-signed Robinson before the 2022 season. The team invested at least two years with Robinson, giving him all his guaranteed money during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Giving Robinson a modest extension of one to two years won’t break Jacksonville’s bank. Though he’s likely playing, or already has played, his final seasons with the team, Robinson getting another year in offensive coordinator Press Taylor’s system could prove beneficial for his career.
Robinson has improved greatly when he’s been on the field and getting another positive year on tape could only help his future payday.
Now that they are at this point, finding a way to retain their veteran tackle, especially with the uncertainty surrounding right guard Brandon Scherff, might be the best option the team has.