Jacksonville has a short week to prepare for the Cincinnati Bengals after a disappointing 31-19 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in which the team led at halftime but couldn’t hold on to get its first victory of the season. Now, the 0-3 Jaguars travel to take on a 2-1 Bengals team that has looked surprisingly solid to start the year with a healthy Joe Burrow back under center.
As another team in the middle of rebuilding (albeit apparently one that’s further along), the Bengals don’t have many established superstars on their roster, though they do have some promising young skill-position players like running back Joe Mixon and receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
However, to find the player on Cincinnati’s roster who would have the biggest impact on the Jags’ team (especially in the future), you have to look at the offensive line. Specifically, at rookie right guard Jackson Carman.
The Bengals took Carman out of Clemson in the second round, and after playing a backup role in the first two games, he started against Pittsburgh on Sunday. On the Jaguars, he could have been starting from Day 1. He would very possibly be an immediate upgrade to A.J. Cann, who has an expiring contract after the season and has been the weak link on the offensive line so far.
With left guard Andrew Norwell also playing on an expiring contract, the future of the interior offensive line is uncertain, to say the least. But with Carman on the roster, that wouldn’t be the case. The Jags would have Cann’s replacement already on the roster and would probably be willing to let Norwell’s deal expire without an extension, whether that means addressing that position in free agency or giving Ben Bartch a chance to start.
It’s still too early in his career to determine how good Carman will end up being, but he’s a player that some thought the Jaguars would target in the draft, and after not adding an interior lineman in free agency or the draft, Jacksonville could really use him right about now.