The Jacksonville Jaguars made fairly surprising news on Tuesday as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that they would be franchise tagging Cam Robinson. The 25-year-old is heading into his fifth season in the NFL, and he was set to become a free agent.
Jags coach Urban Meyer, who had a presser following the news, explained the decision Tuesday afternoon.
“We are heading in that direction,” Meyer said of tagging Robinson. “[Offensive Line Coach] Coach Warhop feels very strong about his future and the development. We realize he has a great future. His ceiling is very high. I’ve studied him very much. I’ve spent some time with him.
We feel that the way this free agency is moving is that the left tackle position, as always but even more now this year from hearing from the guys who have been in the NFL, this a tough year for that left tackle position. We feel like with what’s just out there and with coaching, culture, and development, Cam [Robinson] has a lot of talent.”
There were other potential options available, such as veteran free agent Trent Williams and Baltimore’s Orlando Brown, a trade candidate. But it seems the Jaguars are going with their in-house left tackle.
Robinson came on strong as a rookie in 2017, but he missed most of the following season with an ACL injury. In his last two seasons, he hasn’t quite developed how Jacksonville had hoped.
But Meyer and his staff seem to still believe in him, and though the Jaguars lead the league in cap space with $82 million to spend, it seems that money won’t be allocated to bringing a new left tackle to town.