Is the Offensive Line a Concern for Jacksonville Entering 2026?
One of the most important aspects of an NFL offense is to protect the quarterback. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, that means protecting the tall and lanky Trevor Lawrence, who has been prone to a fumbling issue his entire professional career. In 2025, while Lawrence may have had fewer fumbles than he did in 2022 and 2023, the veteran did get sacked the most in his entire career, with 41. The line struggled in the second half of the season, which had an impact on the offensive capabilities. Offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and head coach Liam Coen changed up the gameplan in the second half, relying less on the running game and more on the passing attack due to the line being unable to create running lanes for the backfield. The offensive line unit ended up being ranked one of the lowest in the NFL at the end of the season, meaning that there may be work to be done for general manager James Gladstone in Jacksonville.
One positive you can take from this core is that the entire starting five from last season is under contract, with no pending free agents. Recently, the team signed left tackle Cole Van Lanen to a three-year extension, making him the last to be locked down for the foreseeable future. From the looks of it, the Jaguars’ coaching staff believes in this unit for the future and will most likely run back out the same core next season. However, if the team wants a successful run in the future, things will have to change. Repeating the same actions and hoping for different results will not get the Jaguars anywhere in the long run, especially considering their lack of playoff success.
One avenue the team could take is considering drafting a top lineman prospect. Considering the unit struggled with the running game late in the season, selecting a tackle like Travis Burke out of Memphis would be a smart move. Burke is one of the most experienced linemen in this draft class, playing over 3,000 snaps over his five collegiate seasons. He ended 2025 as one of the highest-graded run-blocking tackles by PFF, which would be exactly what Jacksonville needs to fix their issue. A second option is another great run-blocker in Gennings Dunker out of Iowa. While Dunker was mostly a right tackle, he has experience taking snaps as a guard as well, meaning his versatility would be a benefit to the Jaguars’ line. Drafting a lineman for the Jaguars can also be a cost-efficient option, considering the expenses they have dished out to extend their veterans.
