Tag: Walker Little

Report: Jaguars trading OT Cam Robinson to Vikings

Report: Jaguars trading OT Cam Robinson to Vikings

This story has been updated with new information. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars are trading left tackle Cam Robinson to the Minnesota Vikings, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The Jaguars will receive a conditional fifth-round 2026 NFL draft pick that can become a fourth-round pick based on playing time from the Vikings in exchange for Robinson, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Minnesota will also receive a conditional draft pick from Jacksonville, a 2026 seventh-rounder that can be voided based on playing time.

Minnesota lost starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw to season-ending ACL and MCL tears in its Week 8 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, leading the 5-2 Vikings to search for offensive line reinforcements and ultimately trade for Robinson.

Robinson started 91 games over more than seven seasons since the Jaguars selected him with the No. 34 overall pick in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft, out of Alabama.

However, Robinson was benched in favor of backup offensive lineman Walker Little for Jacksonville’s Week 8 matchup with the Green Bay Packers. Little, the Jaguars’ No. 45 overall pick in 2021, from Stanford, had previously filled in for Robinson in Week 7 after the starter suffered a concussion.

Before Robinson was dealt to Minnesota, Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson said he was unsure who would start at left tackle for the Jaguars moving forward.

“Undecided right now,” Pederson said Monday. “But after the first couple series [Little] settled in and did some good things. We’ll see how it goes this week.”

Robinson is in the final season of a three-year, $52.8 million contract extension which he signed with Jacksonville in 2022. Little is in the final season of his rookie deal.

Jacksonville selected offensive tackle Javon Foster with one of its two fourth-round picks in the 2024 NFL draft. A healthy scratch for each week of his rookie season so far, Foster could become a member of the game day roster following Robinson’s trade.

The Jaguars previously traded defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris to the Seattle Seahawks during Week 7.

The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. ET.

This is a breaking news story that will be updated.

Doug Pederson addresses Jaguars OT swap vs. Packers

Doug Pederson addresses Jaguars OT swap vs. Packers

The Jaguars made a surprising change to their offensive line against the Packers in Week 8, opting to play Walker Little at left tackle over the position’s eight-season starter, Cam Robinson, despite the latter player being active and available.

Robinson spent most of last week in the NFL’s concussion protocol but was cleared in time for the game and was observed in pads before kickoff. Little filled in for Robinson after he suffered his concussion against the New England Patriots and held onto the job against the Green Bay Packers.

Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson mentioned Monday that he will continue to evaluate Little and Robinson in practice this week before determining who will start at left tackle against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9.

“Undecided right now,” Pederson said Monday. “After the first couple series [Little] settled in and did some good things. We’ll see how it goes this week.”

But this story is about more than just an in-season position battle, especially as the Nov. 5 NFL trade deadline approaches, next Tuesday.

Mike Dempsey, the host of Jaguars Today on 1010XL, the Jaguars’ flagship radio station, reported Monday that Robinson was informed he would not start in Week 8 right before the game.

It was Jacksonville offensive line coach Phil Rauscher, not Pederson, who informed Robinson of the move, per Dempsey. He added that Robinson expressed frustration with the decision at the time.

“What I’m told is that Cam Robinson was pretty surprised not to be starting yesterday, and that he found out that he wasn’t starting from his offensive line coach, not his head coach. You know, he’s been a starter here for a long time, and may have voiced his displeasure about that decision,” Dempsey said.

Dempsey made the point that when the Jaguars lost left guard Ezra Cleveland for the rest of the Packers game due to an ankle injury, Jacksonville kept Robinson on the bench rather than utilize his experience, even though Little has playing experience at guard.

Second-year Jaguars lineman Cooper Hodges, who had one career offensive snap before Week 8, was inserted at guard instead.

“And you noticed later in the game, Ezra Cleveland leaves, you’re thinking, ‘Well, I know Walker Little’s not a great guard necessarily. But is our best option Cooper Hodges or is it to slide Walker Little in and put Cam Robinson, who has been your starter all year until he got a concussion last week?’ ” Dempsey pondered.

“And on top of that, Doug Pederson when asked about [injured running back] Travis Etienne Jr. was heard to say you can’t lose your job because of injury. Isn’t that how Walker Little got in, because of injury last week? So that’s a situation I think to keep an eye on over the next several days … I don’t know of anything in the works or anything like that. It just seems to me that, it wouldn’t surprise me if we got a change of scenery.”

Pederson denied knowledge of a spat between Robinson and Rauscher when asked about the interaction on Monday, suggesting he was unaware of any argument.

“Did you see one?” Pederson asked the inquiring reporter, who said they were also informed about the conversation. “Well, anytime you have a conversation, there’s words exchanged. No, that’d be news to me.”

Time will tell if Jacksonville and Robinson could be in for a split. But at a minimum, the Jaguars are currently considering their options at left tackle, with both Robinson and Little in the final season of their contracts with the club, the latter on his rookie deal.

Both have something to play for if they intend to stick with the Jaguars.

Should Pittsburgh target an offensive lineman at the trade deadline? 

Poor penalty management by Steelers’ RT Broderick Jones, and injuries to the offensive line may need to be solved via trade by the deadline.

It is truly miraculous how the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to win games given how injured their offensive line is. In Week 8, the Steelers were missing three starting offensive linemen, with two out for the entirety of the regular season. The interior depth on the o-line has been great, but the tackle position may need an upgrade before the upcoming trade deadline on November 5th. 

LT Dan Moore Jr., whose play has been outstanding this season, was banged up and had to sit out one play late in Week 8’s contest. Backup offensive lineman Spencer Anderson replaced him and immediately allowed QB Russell Wilson to get sacked. 

RT Broderick Jones continues to commit penalties that kill offensive momentum, and while it is probably time for HC Mike Tomlin to bench him, there is truly no quality starter who could take his place. 

Offensive tackle trade targets such as Cam Robinson, Andrus Peat, or Walker Little could help alleviate the injury woes. This team looks primed to make a deep playoff run, but they’ll first need to address depth issues on the offensive side of the football. 

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Jaguars tweak starting OL vs. Packers

Jaguars tweak starting OL vs. Packers

The Jaguars benched eighth-year left tackle Cam Robinson in favor of fourth-year backup offensive lineman Walker Little for their Week 8 matchup with the Green Bay Packers in Jacksonville, Fla.

Robinson suffered a concussion during Jacksonville’s Week 7 game against the New England Patriots in London but cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol on Saturday. He entered Week 8 without an injury designation.

Little filled in for Robinson against the Patriots and played well, earning 87.0 (out of 100) pass-protection and 73.3 run-blocking grades from Pro Football Focus for his showing over 56 offensive snaps.

“I thought he did a good job,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said of Little’s Week 7 performance on Monday.

“Walker’s a pro. That’s what I like about him. He comes to work every day, prepares like a starter, and he’s always ready, and you never know … he did a good job, and something that we’ll see how Cam does. If we had to go into this game with [Little] at left tackle, we’re obviously more than comfortable doing that and got a lot of confidence in him, and he’ll be ready to go either way.”

When healthy and available, Robinson had started 91 consecutive games for the Jaguars dating back to his second-round NFL draft selection by the club in 2017. However, he has not completed a full season since 2020.

Little has appeared in 48 games and made 18 starts, including Week 8, since becoming Jacksonville’s second second-round pick in 2021.

Both Robinson and Little are scheduled to become free agents this offseason, with Robinson in the final season of a three-year, $52.8 million contract signed in 2022 and Little in the last year of his rookie deal.

Jaguars starting OT enters concussion protocol

Jaguars starting OT enters concussion protocol

Jaguars starting left tackle Cam Robinson entered the NFL’s concussion protocol after being diagnosed with a concussion during Jacksonville’s Week 7 matchup with the New England Patriots in London, head coach Doug Pederson shared on Monday.

Robinson logged five offensive snaps in the game before exiting hurt.

Fourth-year Jaguars backup tackle Walker Little finished the game in Robinson’s place, posting 56 offensive snaps.

“I thought he did a good job,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said about Little’s performance.

“Obviously, about the fourth or fifth play, he has to come into the game and play from there. Walker’s a pro. That’s what I like about him. He comes to work every day, prepares like a starter, and he’s always ready.”

Robinson has, when available, started at left tackle for Jacksonville since his second-round NFL draft selection by the club in 2017, making 91 appearances.

However, Robinson has not completed a full season since 2020, due to multiple injuries and last season a four-game suspension to begin the year.

ESPN insiders float five Jaguars in-season trade candidates

ESPN insiders float five Jaguars in-season trade candidates

The NFL trade deadline is over a month away, on Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. ET.

But considering Jacksonville’s 0-4 start to the 2024 season, at least two NFL insiders believe the Jaguars are already nearing a position to sell.

In a Wednesday ESPN roundtable column discussing the trade market among other topics, insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano floated five players they could envision Jacksonville shipping away in the coming weeks if the Jaguars can not turn their campaign around.

Prompted by Graziano calling Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk a potential option for the pass-catcher-needy Pittsburgh Steelers, Fowler expounded on the possibility Jacksonville could deal players approaching the end of their rookie contracts to collect resources for the offseason.

Fowler had four players in mind, three starters and one key backup.

“Another loss or two could leave the 0-4 Jaguars trading away players. This roster is not barren. I could see teams inquiring on rookie-scale talent, such as linebacker Devin Lloyd, safety Andre Cisco and running back Travis Etienne Jr. I’m not saying Jacksonville wants to move marquee players, but we’ve seen this script before when a team implodes. The Jaguars have three starting-caliber offensive tackles, with Walker Little as the odd man out. Teams always need offensive line help and will make calls accordingly.”

Given the sky-high expectations Jaguars owner Shad Khan set for the club before the season and how Jacksonville has yet to get off the ground, it is fair to wonder if he would green-light a fire sale by general manager Trent Baalke at this point.

As Fowler alluded to, however, such situations have played out with struggling NFL teams before.

Kirk, Etienne, Lloyd and Cisco each occupy starting positions for the Jaguars.

Kirk is in the third season of a four-year, $72 million contract he signed with the club in 2022 and is set to account for $24.4 million against Jacksonville’s salary cap next year after restructuring his deal in 2023.

After a slow start to his 2024 campaign with two catches for 29 yards between Weeks 1-2, Kirk has caught 15 passes for 140 yards in Jacksonville’s last two games. He has 158 receptions for 2,064 yards and 12 touchdowns over 33 starts with the Jaguars.

Etienne, a first-round NFL draft pick by Jacksonville alongside his college quarterback Trevor Lawrence in 2021, is in his third season as the Jaguars’ starting running back after missing his rookie year with a Lisfranc injury. The fifth-year option on his rookie contract, for 2025, was picked up in April.

Etienne has logged 214 rushing yards and two touchdowns over 47 attempts this season, adding 10 receptions for 48 yards. He is up to 2,437 yards and 18 touchdowns over 534 rushes and 103 catches for 840 yards and one touchdown receiving.

Jacksonville’s second first-round pick in 2022, Lloyd has started in 33 of his 35 appearances with the Jaguars, recording 263 total tackles including three for loss, three interceptions, 17 defended passes and one forced fumble.

Lloyd posted 21 tackles, two pass breakups and the forced fumble between Weeks 1-3 this year, before missing Week 4 with a knee injury.

Cisco was a third-round pick by the Jaguars in Etienne’s draft class and emerged as a starting safety for the club in his second season, 2022.

After recording seven interceptions and 15 defended passes in 30 games over the last two seasons, Cisco is off to a slow start this season with only one pass breakup in four contests. He has logged 17 total tackles, though, increasing his career total to 178.

Of the quintet, Little arguably stands as the most reasonable trade candidate as he has yet to carve out a full-time starting role in four seasons with the Jaguars, despite his draft status.

The 2021 second-round pick has appeared in 44 games, though, making 17 starts and logging 1,145 offensive snaps in the roles of swing tackle and backup guard. He is in the final season of his rookie contract with Jacksonville.

CBS poses ‘biggest question’ for Jaguars entering training camp

CBS poses ‘biggest question’ for Jaguars entering training camp

Will center Mitch Morse’s addition to Jacksonville’s offensive line be enough to elevate the unit?

That’s what CBS analyst Bryan DeArdo wondered when he penned the “biggest question” every AFC team faces ahead of training camp, which opens to fans in Jacksonville on July 24.

Because, aside from Mirse’s free agent signing in March, Jacksonville is running it back up front, returning its intended starters from 2023 at left and right tackle and left and right guard.

Did they do enough to improve the O-line?

The Jaguars believe that injuries and a lack of continuity were the main reasons why their O-line struggled last year, especially when it came to running the ball. To help address those issues, the Jaguars made a [splash] in free agency when they were able to sign former Pro Bowl center Mitch Morse.

Personally, I think the Jaguars’ O-line will be better this year with the addition of Morse and the expected growth of Ezra Cleveland second-year right tackle Anton Harrison. The development of rookie fourth-round pick Javon Foster (whom the Jaguars view as their future swing tackle) is also key. But the Jaguars need veterans Brandon Scherff and Cam Robinson to stay healthy after injuries hindered their effectiveness in recent years.

The Jaguars finished last season with 59.6 pass-blocking and 40.6 run-blocking grades, ranking No. 21 and No. 31 in the NFL in those respective categories, per Pro Football Focus.

Morse is expected to replace Luke Fortner, Jacksonville’s starting center since his third-round selection by the club in 2022. Fortenr’s 44.3 PFF offensive grade ranked No. 56 of 57 NFL centers who logged at least one snap in 2023; Morse’s 64.5 mark ranked No. 22.

Otherwise, the Jaguars hope the unit can benefit from continuity, and believe it will perform better with improved health and availability.

Cam Robinson enters his eighth year as Jacksonville’s left tackle after missing eight games in 2023, four due to suspension at the beginning of the campaign and another four near the end due to injury. Opposite is Anton Harrison, the Jaguars’ 2023 first-round pick, who flashed promise as a rookie right tackle against several premier NFL edge rushers.

Seasoned NFL veteran and rising third-year Jaguars right guard Brandon Scherff is back on a restructured contract. So is Ezra Cleveland on the left, who Jacksonville traded for around midseason in 2023 and re-signed in March.

Cleveland dealt with multiple injuries during the season, a foot injury with Minnesota before the trade and a knee injury with the Jaguars.

“If you look at it, Week 18 was kind of that snapshot of what the offensive line was supposed to look like with Cam, Ezra, Luke, Brandon and Anton,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said in March. 

“When we got Ezra, that was supposed to be what it looked like. They only played one game together. We’re excited for this upcoming offseason to get those guys working together.”

In addition to Javon Foster’s acquisition, Walker Little also returns to the Jaguars’ offensive line after serving as a backup tackle/guard hybrid in 2023. Jacksonville’s second second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Little has started 17 games in three seasons.

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:

Jaguars vs. Ravens inactives: Walker Little, Ezra Cleveland active

The Jaguars will have the left side of their offensive line in tact Sunday night against the Ravens.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will have starting offensive linemen Walker Little and Ezra Cleveland in the lineup Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens.

Ninety minutes ahead of kickoffs, the Jaguars announced six inactives:

Both Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco were ruled out Friday in the team’s final injury report of the week due to quad and groin injuries, respectively. Brenton Strange’s inactive status isn’t surprising either after the team elevated tight end Josh Pederson from the practice squad Saturday.

Jacksonville had seven players listed as questionable, but only two of them will sit out Sunday: Strange and cornerback Christian Braswell who wasn’t activated from the injured reserve.

For the Ravens, all eyes were on defensive back Kyle Hamilton, who was questionable. He is active and will play Sunday:

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET.

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Jaguars rule out 2, list 7 as questionable vs. Ravens in Week 15

The Jaguars will be without starting defensive backs Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco on Sunday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without two starting defensive backs Sunday night when they play the Baltimore Ravens.

On Friday, the team ruled out cornerback Tyson Campbell and safety Andre Cisco. Second-year cornerback Montaric “Buster” Brown will likely fill in for Campbell and veteran safety Andrew “Dewey” Wingard will probably step in for Cisco.

Another seven Jaguars players are questionable for the Week 15 primetime contest.

Both Jamal Agnew and Christian Braswell are still on injured reserve and had their 21-day practice windows opened earlier this month. If either is available Sunday, that’ll likely be revealed Saturday when the Jaguars decide whether or not they’ll move one or both of them to the active roster.

It’d be a surprise if veteran defensive back Tre Herndon is unavailable after Doug Pederson said earlier Friday that he has cleared concussion protocol and “should be good to go.”

For Baltimore, only two players are questionable and all eyes are on the status of Kyle Hamilton.

During a press conference Friday, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that Hamilton is “in a good place right now,” but also said “we’ll see how he does the next couple days.” The second-year safety has two interceptions, three sacks, and nine tackles for a loss so far in 2023.

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