Tag: Cam Robinson

Doug Pederson ‘really feels comfortable’ with current offensive linemen

Yes, it’s lying season, but it sure doesn’t sound like the Jaguars are planning to make big changes to their offensive line.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive line was one of the worst in the NFL during the 2023 season. It struggled to protect Trevor Lawrence despite rarely facing blitzes and allowed Travis Etienne to be stuffed for no gain at a league-high rate.

But Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson doesn’t seem too concerned about finding replacements up front.

“Cam [Robinson] missed eight games last year, our left guard was a little bit of an injury revolving door type thing, Luke Fortner at center, Brandon Scherff, and then Anton [Harrison], the rookie, was learning every week and played every game for us,” Pederson said during an NFL Network appearance during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.

“We really feel comfortable with the guys we have there, we just have to get back to what they do best. To me, that’s kind of simplifying, put it on their shoulders, but at the same time, as coaches, putting them in position to just go out and execute.”

Earlier in the week, Pederson noted that continuity was a big issue for the line too.

“If you think about it, Cam, Ezra [Cleveland], Luke, Brandon and [Anton Harrison] played one game together,” Pederson said. “We didn’t have consistency; we didn’t have continuity. That affects five guys up front. That’s what we have to get back to, we have to get back to a little bit more consistency there.”

Should Pederson be taking at face value? Maybe not. There’s little incentive for the coach to throw his linemen under the bus in late February when there’s still plenty of offseason to sort out changes on the roster.

Yet, Jaguars brass has also had no issue with underlining cornerback as a spot on the roster that needs work.

Trent Baalke told reporters he expects Cam Robinson to stay on the roster, he’s in negotiations to bring Ezra Cleveland back, and the Jaguars appear to be in no rush to part with Scherff either.

It seems Fortner is the Jaguars offensive lineman most in danger of being replaced, but wholesale changes up and down the line are looking increasingly unlikely.

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All 10 times the Jaguars have used the franchise tag

The Jaguars appear set to use the franchise tag for a fifth straight offseason.

As of Tuesday, NFL teams are allowed to use the franchise tag or transition tag to retain one player due to become a free agent. And for the fifth straight year, the Jacksonville Jaguars are likely to make use of the tag.

The likeliest scenario is that pass rusher Josh Allen will get the tag after posting a career-best 17.5 sacks during the 2023 season. But even if the Jaguars manage to get a deal done with Allen ahead of the March 5 deadline (which seems unlikely), they’d probably instead use the tag to keep wide receiver Calvin Ridley.

The franchise tag is a tool that guarantees a player, at minimum, a one-year fully guaranteed deal that makes them one of the highest paid players at their position. Teams also have until mid-July to sign a multi-year extension with a tagged player.

While Jacksonville has used it in four straight offseasons, the team only used it six times in the more than two decades prior. Here’s the Jaguars’ entire history of using the franchise tag:

5 toughest decisions for the Jaguars to make in the 2024 offseason

The Jaguars can’t sit on their hands like they did last offseason. This year, they have a handful of tough choices to make.

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t do a whole lot during the 2023 offseason. All but one of the team’s 22 starters from the season prior returned, as did almost all of Doug Pederson’s coaching staff.

After a disappointing season that saw the team fail to reach the playoffs, things have to be different in 2024. The Jaguars already got started by firing defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, but there’s plenty more changes to make if the team hopes to get back to the postseason next year and get the franchise’s trajectory back on track.

With the offseason just getting started for the Jaguars, here are five big decisions they’ll have to make before the 2024 season gets started about eight months from now:

8 moves the Jaguars could make to create cap space in 2024

The Jaguars may need to create cap space if they hope to make moves this offseason.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are projected to enter the 2024 offseason with much more salary cap space than they did when they were over the limit heading into the 2023 offseason.

This time around, the Jaguars have more room to maneuver, but there are also some moves that could eat up that space quickly. For one, the team seems likely to franchise tag Josh Allen, which would guarantee the pass rusher about $22 million for the 2024 season.

If Jacksonville hopes to make that move along with any other additions or extensions in the 2024 offseason, the team simply has to find a way to create more room.

Fortunately for the Jaguars there are ways to make that happen. Some of the decisions will be relatively easy, others will be a much tougher call.

Here are eight ways the Jaguars could cut costs and clear space this offseason:

Jaguars glad to have Cam Robinson back: ‘He just has an aura about him’

The Jaguars improved to 7-1 in games with Cam Robinson in the lineup.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are now 7-1 with Cam Robinson in the lineup after getting a 26-0 win Sunday in the offensive tackle’s first game back from injured reserve.

Robinson, 28, missed the first four games of the year because of a suspension and then missed another four in the latter half of the year when a knee injury sent him to IR. His return Sunday ended a little early with an ejection, but that wasn’t necessarily the worst thing. It’s that kind of energy and fire that the Jaguars seem to miss when Robinson isn’t playing.

“That was awesome, I was happy for that,” Jaguars tight end Evan Engram said of the ejection. “I don’t know if he might get fined or something for that, but it’s good to have him back. He’s just a difference-maker for us. His energy is contagious in that room.”

It also doesn’t seem like a coincidence that Travis Etienne Jr. finally had his second game of the year over 100 yards rushing. Etienne scored two touchdowns, and the Jaguars finished the day with 155 total rushing yards.

“He just has an aura about him, and it kind of feeds off to the other guys,” Etienne said of Robinson. “He just means so much to the offensive line, to the team, to all of us. I feel when he is out, it’s definitely noticed.”

Prior to the season, it seemed almost inevitable that the 2023 season would be Robinson’s last in Jacksonville. With Anton Harrison taking over at right tackle and Walker Little waiting in the wings at left tackle, would the Jaguars really pass on the $17.75 million in 2024 cap savings they could get by releasing Robinson?

Now it seems the Jaguars can’t afford not to have the veteran offensive lineman on the roster.

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5 Jaguars players to watch vs. Panthers in Week 17

Who needs to step up most this Sunday to help end the Jaguars’ skid?

This week’s game might be the Jacksonville Jaguars’ most important game of the season so far. And it’s against the Carolina Panthers.

Four weeks ago, the Jaguars were in contention for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC. Now, they’re sitting just over .500 and barely holding onto the AFC South lead.

Jacksonville had a golden opportunity to put some space between itself and Indianapolis and Houston, but a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the team’s Week 17 game against Carolina even more important.

According to NFL.com, a win against the Panthers would give the Jaguars an 81 percent chance at making the playoffs. A loss would drop that number all the way to 38 percent.

Here are five Jaguars players to watch against the Panthers in Week 17:

Jaguars ‘optimistic’ OT Cam Robinson will return from IR in Week 17

Cam Robinson could be back in the starting lineup as early as Sunday for the Jaguars.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson could make his return from injured reserve and be back on the field in Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers, head coach Doug Pederson said Tuesday.

“It’s still a ways away, but [I’m] hopeful and optimistic that he’ll be ready to go,” Pederson said of Robinson. “Cam brings a level of physicality and he brings some excitement and enthusiasm to that o-line. It’s something that we’re looking forward to.”

Robinson, 28, landed on IR after suffering a knee injury in the Jaguars’ Week 12 win against the Houston Texans. The Jaguars were previously without Robinson for the first four games of the season due to a suspension. Jacksonville is 2-6 in games without Robinson at left tackle and 6-1 in the games he’s played.

The Jaguars started Walker Little at left tackle with Robinson out of action and slid Little to left guard in games that Robinson played. That won’t be the plan anymore, according to Pederson.

The coach said that Ezra Cleveland will remain at left guard after starting the last four games there for the Jaguars, and Little will likely get play as a swing tackle.

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Trevor Lawrence: Jaguars have to get back to running the ball well

An inability to run effectively in recent weeks is making everything tough for the Jaguars offense.

During an undefeated October for the Jacksonville Jaguars, running back Travis Etienne Jr. had a career-best stretch. Over five games, the third-year back had 565 yards from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns.

It’s been a while since the Jaguars ran the ball that well, though.

While Etienne got into the end zone in each of the last two weeks, he has averaged 3.3 yards per carry since the beginning of November. His highest rushing total in the last five weeks came when he managed to squeak out 56 yards against the Houston Texans on 20 carries.

“You have to be able to run the ball,” Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said Sunday. “We have to do a better job. We have to find ways to do that.

“When we were playing well as an offense, that was something that we were doing well. We have to get back to that and just find ways to be efficient and stay on track. We weren’t very good on first and second down today [against the Cleveland Browns]. That gets you behind the sticks.”

Against the Browns, Etienne finished with 35 rushing yards on 14 carries.

“I have to be better for my offensive line,” Etienne said in the locker room after the 31-27 loss. “They’re doing a great job out there, I have to continue to hit it, continue to trust in my discipline, and just keep trusting them. They’re gonna continue to trust in me and we want to get this thing rolling.”

It sure doesn’t seem like Etienne is the one to blame, though. After injuries sidelined both Cam Robinson and Walker Little, the Jaguars lost Ezra Cleveland to a knee injury early in the Week 14 loss. Jacksonville’s offensive line has been banged up for much of the year and ranks 28th in ESPN’s run block win rate. At Pro Football Focus, the Jaguars’ 44.2 team run block grade is the worst in the league.

“[We] have to find ways to improve, possibly getting back to some of the schemes that worked earlier in the season or what helped Travis break free,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Monday. “Obviously, the injury situation on the offensive line has affected that just a little bit, having that continuity up front.

“It’s something that we’re focused on and even with [offensive line coach Phil Rauscher], just again, finding those schemes that have worked in our past and trying to tap back into that to see if we can jumpstart the run game.”

The Jaguars’ Week 15 opponent, the Baltimore Ravens, rank 21st in rushing yards allowed per attempt.

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Jaguars ‘optimistic’ OT Cam Robinson could return before playoffs

Doug Pederson doesn’t think Cam Robinson’s season is over.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson will miss at least four games after suffering a knee injury Sunday, but the team is hopeful it won’t be much more than that.

A few days after Robinson was placed on injured reserve, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said he thinks the offensive tackle could return before the playoffs begin in January.

“I believe so. We’ll see how he does these next couple of weeks, obviously, but we’re optimistic that he could [return before the postseason],” Pederson said.

That’s good news for a Jaguars team that has struggled to find consistency along the offensive line for most of the year.

“He doesn’t have the ‘C’ on his chest, but he should. He’s one of our captains,” Jaguars tight end Evan Engram said of Robinson on Sunday, via 1010XL.

Robinson, 28, missed the first four games of the season while serving a suspension for violation of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. He also missed the last three games of the 2022 season and the Jaguars’ two playoff games due to a knee injury.

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Cam Robinson lands on injured reserve with knee injury

The Jaguars will be without their starting left tackle for a while, but may get him back before the season ends.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without Cam Robinson for at least four games after he landed on injured reserve Monday.

Earlier on Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the left knee injury suffered by Robinson in the Jaguars’ Week 12 win against Houston Texans will keep him out three to six weeks. While the roster move guarantees he’ll miss at least four weeks, the report indicates Robinson could return before the end of the year.

“He’s a big part of the offensive line and it’s been great after his suspension to get back in there,” Pederson said of Robinson earlier on Monday. “He does bring a lot of energy and a level of physicality to the offensive line. He’s been a really big bright spot there.

“If he can’t go, we’re still good. Just like you saw yesterday, Walker Little bounces back out to left tackle and my hat is off to him and Ezra [Cleveland] both. In an extremely loud environment, on the road, Walker got very few tackle reps during the week and has to bounce out there and play tackle.”

Despite Robinson suffering his injury early in the game, the Jaguars managed to not allow a single sack against the Texans. However, the running game struggled to get going and Travis Etienne Jr. finished with only 56 yards on 20 rushing attempts.

The Jaguars moved veteran offensive lineman Chandler Brewer from the practice squad to the active roster Monday and signed offensive linemen Keaton Sutherland and Jimmy Murray to the practice squad.

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