The 2016 season has come to an end, and it is time to take stock of what has been a rather disappointing year for the Jacksonville Jaguars. While there were many moments throughout the year which were uncomfortable to watch – to put it nicely, there were some bright spots throughout this young roster this year. As the Jaguars department at Last Word On Sports do our best to evaluate the Jaguars, today the Offensive Line comes under the microscope.
Jacksonville Jaguars Offensive Line End of Season Evaluation
Center
Brandon Linder was head and shoulders above the rest of the unit. In his first season making the switch from right guard to center, Linder proved to be an elite center and a top priority when it comes time to resign him. He played well his rookie year at guard and had big expectations coming into his second season, but he ended up on injured reserve a few weeks in. Finally healthy and with a full offseason to adjust to a new position, Linder made good on the promise his potential showed his first year as a pro.
Pro Football Focus ranked him as the fifth best center in the league after only playing his first year at the position since his early college years. Linder was a force in the running game, consistently driving interior D-linemen off their mark. He only allowed 13 pressures over the course of the entire season. The Jaguars have found their center for years to come after going through a revolving door at the position ever since Brad Meester retired.
Guards
The guard position as a whole underperformed this year. A.J. Cann has not developed into the player most hoped he could be. Cann is a bad run blocker and average at best pass protector. He can lay a powerful blow at times, but too often he takes poor steps and ends up in bad positions when attempting to open holes for the running backs. Cann had a decent rookie year leading many to believe he’d take the next step forward into becoming a solid guard in the NFL, but instead he regressed and has opened himself up to scrutiny and perhaps competition for his starting spot come training camp.
Luke Joeckel was a mixed bag at left guard. He wasn’t great by any means, but he wasn’t his usual terrible self many had come to know since his days at left tackle. He created a push in the run game, but also gave up ground easily when bull rushed on passing downs. His sample size was too small to really know what he can do at the position since a knee injury cut his season short. Patrick Omameh stepped in after Joeckel went down and did a decent job holding down the position. He was solid as a pass protector and serviceable on running downs. Look for the Jaguars to resign him and have him compete with Joeckel if they choose to bring him back in the fold for next year. Omameh at worst is a great guy to have as a backup guard if one of your starters goes down.
Tackles
The tackle position had its share of ups and downs between Kelvin Beachum and Jermey Parnell. Beachum was a top 10 left tackle in the league before suffering his knee injury, so one can chalk his rocky season up to getting comfortable with his surgically repaired knee. Parnell had a good first year as a Jaguar in 2015 but came back down to Earth in his second year with the team. He struggled mightily with pass protecting giving up 7.5 sacks. With the amount of money tied into Parnell, such a decline after two seasons is concerning.
Beachum should have his contract picked up as there aren’t any viable free agents or draft prospects better than him plus his play should pick up now that he has more trust in his knee. Look for the Jaguars front office to bring in some competition to compete with Parnell. He could potentially be cut if Dave Caldwell can sign a top level right tackle in free agency. However, if Parnell is still on the roster come 2017, he will have competition whether that be from a midlevel free agent or mid round right tackle in the draft.
Moving Forward
The offensive line has been a disappointment for years now. With the defense finally looking like a solid unit, the Jaguars must spend this offseason retooling the O-line through free agency and through the draft. The Jaguars front office has missed on the majority of their offensive line free agency signings because they settle for midlevel guys. Tom Coughlin and Dave Caldwell have to be willing to shell out as much money as it will take to land the top tier guys in free agency like Ricky Wagner, T.J. Lang, and Ronald Leary.
