ESPN thinks Jags are a fit for pair of potential top-50 free agents

ESPN thinks the Jags could give big deals to these two offensive linemen this offseason.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have quite a bit of money to spend this offseason. While they don’t lead the league in available cap space like they did last season, they still rank in the top five heading into a crucial free agency period.

One area the team needs to do some work on is the offensive line, where it could have as many as three departing free agents. Some of that could be addressed in the draft, but this team will almost certainly look to sign someone for the line this offseason.

ESPN identified two potential offensive line free agents who would be a good fit with the Jaguars, and one of them is already on the roster. Left guard Andrew Norwell’s deal is expiring after it was restructured last offseason, and what to do with him will be one of the difficult decisions the team faces.

Why it makes sense: Jacksonville’s offensive line disappointed overall, but Norwell was solid with a 66.7 Pro Football Focus grade and three sacks allowed. So bring back a productive, familiar face inside while rebuilding the tackle spots. — Fowler

Scheme fit: Norwell is a mauler in the run game, with a big, long frame to displace defenders. He stays with Doug Pederson’s team here, as the offensive focus continues to center on building and maintaining the front. — Bowen

Keeping Norwell would help the interior, but there are still questions at the tackle spots. Jawaan Taylor has struggled on the right side, and Cam Robinson has an expiring deal, too. Jacksonville could look to re-sign or tag the latter, but ESPN thinks it could upgrade with a veteran tackle in free agency in former New Orleans Saint Terron Armstead.

Why it makes sense: Armstead should earn well above $20 million per year on a new deal. Jacksonville is armed with $57.7 million in cap space and must replace Cam Robinson. New coach Doug Pederson came from Philadelphia, which prioritizes tackle play. — Fowler

Scheme fit: A powerful mover with nimble feet, Armstead immediately upgrades the pass protection for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. But the veteran also fits here in Pederson’s run-game structure as a blocker in both gap and zone schemes. — Bowen

Keeping Norwell would make a good bit of sense, given the team’s other needs, and it’s hard to argue Armstead wouldn’t be an improvement over Robinson (though using the first pick on a tackle is also an option).

Both of these additions would help Trevor Lawrence, but if the team wants to add a playmaker in free agency, ESPN also said it could be a candidate for Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku. However, his current team was listed as the best fit for him.

It’s clear the Jaguars need some upgrades on the offensive side of the ball, and if they made the moves outlined here for the line, the unit would almost certainly take a pretty big leap in 2022.

Pair of Jaguars land in top 60 of Pro Football Focus’ free agent rankings

D.J. Chark Jr. and Andrew Norwell are among the better potential free agents available this offseason, per PFF.

As Jacksonville enters a crucial offseason for the franchise, much of the emphasis has been placed on the players the team will look to add, both in free agency and the offseason. And while the Jaguars have an abundance of needs and will certainly look to spend some money in free agency, they also have some key decisions to make regarding current players with expiring contracts.

The biggest one is receiver D.J. Chark Jr. He’s coming off a broken ankle that ended his fourth season after just four games, and he hasn’t been able to match the production from his second year in 2019, when he reached the 1,000-yard threshold with Gardner Minshew II as his quarterback.

However, he has still shown a lot of promise, and keeping the big-play option in the fold is perhaps the team’s biggest priority in free agency. Pro Football Focus also values Chark fairly highly, ranking him 51st in its top 140 free agents list.

Chark’s relationship with new head coach Urban Meyer didn’t get off to the best start, as Meyer said he was a “big guy that played little.” In a wide receiver room devoid of top-end talent, Chark was supposed to be that guy. Unfortunately, an ankle injury sustained in Week 4 knocked him out for the remainder of what has been quite the eventful season in Jacksonville. Chark may look to depart for greener pastures, and there should be a handful of teams interested in adding a 6-foot-4 wide receiver with 4.3-second speed.

While Chark could certainly decide to play elsewhere, the Jags should do everything in their power to keep that from happening. His absence almost certainly handicapped the development of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and considering how big of a need the position is, Jacksonville isn’t in a position to let talented players walk.

But Chark isn’t the only Jaguar on the PFF list, and he’s followed shortly after by left guard Andrew Norwell, who ranks at No. 57.

Norwell had two years and $25 million remaining on the five-year extension he signed in 2018, but the Jaguars negotiated a pay cut and contract reduction, making him a free agent after the 2021 season. Norwell responded with his eighth straight 70.0-plus pass-blocking grade, and there will almost certainly be a handful of teams looking for a veteran guard with his extremely high floor.

With the Jags renegotiating the terms of Norwell’s agreement, the veteran is set to hit free agency this offseason. Jacksonville could look to keep him around, especially considering it will also probably rely on Ben Bartch to start on the right side next season, but his production hasn’t necessarily earned another deal.

Though he’s been solid in pass blocking, he’s much less trustworthy in run blocking. His PFF grade for the season of 66.7 is just average, and he ranked 43rd among 82 qualifying guards in the league this season.

If the Jags choose to make an offer, it will almost certainly be considerably less than he was making on his previous deal. If he wants more or is just looking for a fresh start, he could look to leave.

The Jags have another key free agent not mentioned here in Cam Robinson, who played the 2021 season on the franchise tag. But Robinson is about to sign his second contract and will likely want more than his production in Year 5 justified.

The Jaguars are nearly certain to let at least one of these franchise centerpieces walk, with Robinson and/or Norwell seemingly the most likely candidates. They could still choose to move on from Chark, but that would make the need for receivers this offseason even greater, applying quite a bit of pressure to the front office to acquire some talent there.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see how the team approaches this offseason and building the roster for the future.

Jaguars OG Andrew Norwell making the case to stick around

Norwell is having a very good season in a contract year, and he’s making a strong case for a new deal.

Jacksonville will have a lot of decisions to make along the offensive line this season. Left tackle Cam Robinson is playing on the franchise tag, and the team will have to decide whether to hand him a long-term deal or let him walk. Meanwhile, guard A.J. Cann becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and given his struggles before he was lost for the year with an injury, the team is likely to take its chances on Ben Bartch, who has played well in Cann’s absence.

But in addition to those two (and right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who will be under contract but has struggled), the Jags’ have to decide what they want to do with left guard Andrew Norwell.

Norwell was a splashy signing back in 2018, and though his contract initially ran through 2022, the team restructured his deal this past offseason, making him an unrestricted free agent in just a few months.

Given the way Norwell has played this season (and the fact that he’s still just 30), the team would be smart to re-sign him. And he’s making a good case for it. This chart from ESPN’s Seth Walder, using NFL Next Gen Stats, compares run-block win rate with pass-block win rate for left guards.

As you can see, Norwell has the highest run-block win rate of any left guard in the league, and he ranks in the top 10 in pass-block win rate. Interestingly, Norwell holds a solid but not great 74.1 season grade from Pro Football Focus, but his pass-blocking grade (80.7) is higher than his run-blocking grade (71.5).

He’s done a good job opening up holes for James Robinson in the run game, and the protection for Trevor Lawrence has been adequate now that the team likely has its five best linemen on the field.

Norwell hasn’t exactly been elite, but quality offensive linemen are hard to come by, and considering the amount of cap space this team possesses, it would make a lot of sense to shore up the left guard position, especially with several other changes to the unit likely to come in the next two years.

Jaguars, Andrew Norwell restructure contract before tampering period

After trade rumors began to surface around his name, the Jags have renegotiated Andrew Norwell’s contract to free up more cap space.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a busy week ahead of them. The tampering period begins at noon ET, which means the team can negotiate deals with agents and players before the new league year begins.

They started Monday off by freeing up some more cap space before the legal tampering period by restructuring the contract of veteran guard Andrew Norwell. His contract, which had two years remaining on it, was turned into a one-year deal worth up to $12 million with $9 million being guaranteed. If those figures sound familiar, it’s because the Jags did something similar last season by renegotiating his deal, making $9 million (base salary) guaranteed and $2.5 in incentives available.

With the Jags and Norwell shaving off a year from his contract, he’ll become a free agent after 2021. Now, the initial deal he signed, a five-year term worth $66.5 million, is a four-year deal. Additionally, he’s managed to get security on the back end of his deal as there were initially no guarantees left on his deal in terms of money the past two seasons.

Norwell was set to account for $15 million against the Jags’ cap this upcoming season. Now, the max he can account for is up to $12 million, which saves the Jags $3 million.

Jags coach Urban Meyer has hinted at there not being drastic changes made to the offensive line in 2021 and the decision to renegotiate with Norwell further proves it. He also praised Norwell earlier this month, who he coached at Ohio State, stating that he was a favorite player of his.

“He’s one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached. He’s a guy that was the underdog when we got there at Ohio State,” Meyer said. “The offensive line at Ohio State was one of the worst in the Big 10, it became the best in the Big 10. He was a big part of it. I was not surprised to see him get a high free agency contract because he’s a grinder, he’s a worker, he’s a team guy, he’s a locker room guy. I see him being part of the Jaguars and I want him to be part of the Jaguars. For me personally, I love the guy because I know him better than most.”

Norwell was the Jags’ second-best offensive lineman last season alongside Brandon Linder. While he dealt with a forearm injury in 2020, Norwell had a 71.1 grade via Pro Football Focus before it and was performing better than Jags fans had seen in the past.

Report: Jaguars could trade OG Andrew Norwell this offseason

Per Albert Breer of SI, the Jags are weighing if they have options to trade guard Andrew Norwell, who was asked to take a pay cut recently.

With teams needing to make cap space as the new league year awaits, it’s that time of the year where NFL front offices explore trading who they don’t see as long-term contributors. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, one player who could be in that boat for the Jaguars is guard Andrew Norwell, who the team asked to take a pay cut recently.

Jaguars G Andrew Norwell: Norwell is making $12 million this year (with a $15 million cap number) and $13 million next year (with a $16 million cap number), and the Jaguars went to him asking for a reduction on that. The result of that? They may wind up dealing him.

While the Jags lead the league in salary cap with over $84.6 million available, per Over the Cap, they aren’t hurting to free up space. However, as fans have seen in the past, that sometimes doesn’t stop general managers from trying to save where they can. Additionally, with several changes going on within the building, the Jags could be looking for a more athletic player at guard.

The decision to weigh the option of trading Norwell comes somewhat at an odd time, as he’s coming off arguably his best season since becoming a Jaguar. While he dealt with a forearm injury in 2020, Norwell had a 71.1 grade via Pro Football Focus before it. That ranked him second on the line only under center Brandon Linder. His pass blocking-grade of 85.6, in particular, looked to be the reason behind that overall figure.

Norwell’s situation also has odd timing because the team is projected to draft Trevor Lawrence first overall and also could let free agent left tackle Cam Robinson hit the open market. Simply put, with such an elite talent coming in at the quarterback position, too many changes up front is puzzling. Then again, maybe the Jags feel that Norwell has been underwhelming when looking at his total body of work since signing his five-year $66.5 million deal in 2018.

Jags coach Urban Meyer coached Norwell at Ohio State. The fact that conversations are occurring to trade the veteran could speak volumes about how the Jags feel about upgrading the position. It could also speak volumes about how offensive line coach George Warhop feels about the guard position, as he was one of the coaches retained from Doug Marrone’s staff.

Despite the discussions that have taken place, it’s worth noting that it’s not guaranteed that Norwell has played his last down with the team. However, this news does make things interesting as the new league year closes in.

Jags designate CB Chris Claybrooks, guard Andrew Norwell to return from IR

The Jaguars could be on the way to getting a huge boost for their offensive line as Andrew Norwell was designated to return from IR.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the way to getting back two key contributors as rookie cornerback Chris Claybrooks and guard Andrew Norwell were designated to return from injured reserve Wednesday. As a result, the Jags now have 21 days to activate either or both to their 53-man active roster.

Claybrooks was the first of the two to go on injured reserve back on Nov. 26 for a core muscle injury. Norwell was added to the list two days later for a forearm injury.

Claybrooks would bring back a player with experience to the Jags’ wounded secondary as the rookie has started in two games for the Jags. Before heading to IR, he also was able to garner 28 tackles and three pass breakups.

Norwell’s return will be a big help, too, as he started in all of the Jags’ games prior to going on injured reserve. Before his injury set him back, he was the Jags’ second-highest graded (71.1) offensive lineman under Brandon Linder, per Pro Football Focus.

Jags LG Andrew Norwell placed on injured reserve

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ luck continued to dwindle in terms of health as another starter was placed on injured reserve. This time it was guard Andrew Norwell who had been dealing with a forearm injury that caused him to be ruled out early in the …

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ luck continued to dwindle in terms of health as another starter was placed on injured reserve. This time it was guard Andrew Norwell who had been dealing with a forearm injury that caused him to be ruled out early in the week for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

Norwell suffered the injury last Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers and exited the game early. Veteran Tyler Shatley replaced him in the process and could be the one to do so Sunday, too. Rookie Ben Bartch also could get the nod in Norwell’s spot.

Norwell’s addition to IR is just one of many that occurred to a starter or notable player on the Jags’ roster over the past two weeks. Last week, they had to place rookie cornerback C.J. Henderson on IR, and this week, they had to place nickelback D.J. Hayden, defensive end Josh Allen, and safety Daniel Thomas on the list, too.

Norwell’s absence will be a huge one as he’s been the Jags’ second-best offensive lineman alongside Brandon Linder. He had a Pro Football Focus grade of 71.1 heading into Week 11’s game against the Steelers and an 85.6 pass-blocking grade. That especially could prove to be an issue in the passing game as the Jags will have a new quarterback under center in Mike Glennon.

Jags OL Andrew Norwell ruled OUT vs. Steelers due to arm injury

The Jacksonville Jaguars offense has been dealt a huge blow as Jaguars offensive lineman Andrew Norwell will not return against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to an arm injury: . @BaptistHealthJx INJURY UPDATE: OL Andrew Norwell has been ruled out with …

The Jacksonville Jaguars offense has been dealt a huge blow as Jaguars offensive lineman Andrew Norwell will not return against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to an arm injury:

While there have been mixed feelings about Norwell’s arrival in Duval, he actually has the second-best grade on the Jaguars’ offensive line this season, according to Pro Football Focus with a 71.1 overall score (85.6 as a pass blocker). That trails only Jags center Brandon Linder who rated with 76.4 grade and a 88.2 rating in pass blocking.

More updates will happen as information becomes more available.

3 Jaguars to watch on offense vs. Titans

The Jaguars will need Andrew Norwell and Jawaan Taylor both to have a solid day in the trenches if they are to beat the Titans Sunday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have the opportunity to stay undefeated and be alone at the top of the division with a win in Nashville Sunday afternoon. After a surprise win at home against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, the Jags will be hoping to continue that momentum into this game against another division rival as they look to steal a match on the rest of the AFC South.

To many people’s shock, the Jaguars’ offense was largely effective in last week’s win. Gardner Minshew II went 19-of-20 and leads the NFL in the completion percentage category, whilst rookie running back James Robinson looked like a starting calibre rusher in his NFL debut.

Simply put, the unit will need to score points in abundance if they are to keep pace with running back Derrick Henry and the Titans this week. With that in mind, here’s three Jaguars to watch on offense in Week 2.

Laviska Shenault Jr.

Laviska Shenault Jr. quietly had one of the better performances on the team last weekend. The staff said they would use him in a variety of ways this offseason and they stuck to their word early. Shenault was given the ball out of the backfield twice and even lined up at wildcat quarterback at one point, in addition to receiving multiple targets as a receiver.

When looking at his stats, Shenault was the only rookie receiver to catch a touchdown last weekend, scoring on a nice in-route for a 15-yard touchdown. If the Jaguars want to keep the defense guessing, Shenault will be used to create mismatches on defense early and often Week 2.

Andrew Norwell

Norwell has come under a lot of criticism by Jaguars fans and media in recent years. It is safe to say that the team expected a lot from the former All-Pro having made him the richest interior lineman in the entire NFL when he signed in 2017.

Fortunately, he looked vastly improved in Week 1 (registering a 73.3, per Pro Football Focus) as the Jaguars were able to keep Minshew’s pocket clean and saw his production improve as a result. Given the talent in the Titans’ front-seven, Jacksonville needs Norwell to repeat last week’s showing if they want to keep their quarterback off the grass.

Jawaan Taylor

Two offensive lineman you say? It could be one of those games.

Taylor makes the cut here because he flashed very brightly last week. Taylor showed vast improvements in the second half of 2019 and started this year relatively strong. Whilst the Jaguars did allow multiple sacks last weekend, the former Florida Gator lit up Colts’ All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard on a screen play.

The second-year tackle will be lining up against Jadeveon Clowney for much of this game. That means it will be imperative for Taylor to slow down the former first overall pick.

Taylor and the Jags’ offensive line will have to be physical with the Titans’ defensive line to set the tone Sunday. If they can stay on the field that keeps Henry off of it and gives the Jags an opportunity to win the time of possession battle.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

Jags depth chart prediction: Offensive line

Jags fans entered 2020 with a lot of concerns about the OL and with the team only drafting one player on the unit, it may not change.

We started our depth chart predictions around this time last week and have previewed the quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends, and receivers so far. That leaves just one unit on the offensive side: the offensive line. Here are our predictions for how the unit could turn out in the trenches:

Left tackle Left guard Center Right Guard Right Tackle
No. 1 Cam Robinson Andrew Norwell Brandon Linder A.J. Cann Jawaan Taylor
No. 2 Will Richardson KC McDermott Tyler Shatley Ben Bartch* Ryan Pope
No. 3 Blake Hance Tyler Gauthier Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms* Steven Nielsen*

Left tackle

Cam Robinson will enter 2020 as the starter and will be on a contract year. It appears he might also have some competition to remain a starter as the Jags will be letting Will Richardson settle in at left tackle, too. Right now, I’d say the edge goes to Robinson, but it’s probably not a certainty as he’s been up and down on the blindside.

Behind them could be Blake Hance, who will be entering his second season but has no starts to his name. When looking at his background, however, he was a starter for multiple years at left tackle in college at Northwestern University.

Left guard

Andrew Norwell has been underwhelming since joining the Jags in 2018 via free agency. The team renegotiated his deal this offseason but he still will come with a $9 million (all guaranteed) price tag, so he’ll be starting.

It’s unknown who will be a reserve behind Norwell at left guard, so I slotted KC McDermott there for the time being. He’s been developing on the team’s practice squad for two seasons and it’s about time he enters the season on the final roster as he played at a variety of offensive line spots in college at Miami.

Center

There aren’t many who would disagree that Brandon Linder is the best offensive lineman on the team. As one of the team’s generals, he’ll enter 2020 with another solid season behind him as he registered a 75.3 Pro Football Focus grade, good for the best on the offensive line.

Behind him will be the Jags’ most experienced reserve offensive lineman in Tyler Shatley. He’ll enter 2020 with 16 starts, and like Linder, he possesses the ability to play both guard and center if the team has to do some shuffling.

Tyler Gauthier joined the team in early December of last year as a reserve. He previously played guard and center during the preseason process with the New England Patriots but was designated to their practice squad in the regular season. With a solid preseason, he has a small shot to make the roster on the back end, but if not, he’s a perfect candidate for practice squad.

Right guard

While it hasn’t always been pretty, A.J. Cann will come into the 2020 season as one of the team’s most experienced players, with 75 career starts to his name. He’ll have some competition from fourth-round rookie selection, Ben Bartch, who the team believes is a developmental project for now.

Behind those two could be the massive Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms (6-foot-5, 330-pounds), who went undrafted in April’s draft. He could be a sleeper to make the team after being a starter for Missouri since 2017 and earning all-conference honors in 2018.

Right tackle

Rookie Jawaan Taylor started in every game for the Jags a right tackle and finished strong after struggling mightily with penalties earlier in the season. He’ should only get better with more experience and fans should be encouraged about his future.

Behind him on the depth chart could be Ryan Pope, who joined the Jags’ practice squad last year as an undrafted free agent. Before that, he spent time on the Detroit Lions’ and San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad so he’s unproven on the NFL level. He’ll get an opportunity to prove himself as a practice squad candidate in the preseason and it will likely come at the right or left tackle positions when considering his background at San Diego State.

As for undrafted free agent Steven Nielsen, a majority of his collegiate starts at Eastern Michigan came at right guard, which makes him a candidate to battle Pope for a practice squad spot this offseason.