Former Jaguars OL Gets Notable Spot in Rankings

The Jacksonville Jaguars moved in a different direction this offseason once new head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone took the reins.

With Coen and Gladstone calling the shots alongside executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli, the Jaguars remade several position groups during free agency and the draft.

Perhaps the most influenced group was the offensive line. The Jaguars signed four free agents (Patrick Mekari, Robert Hainsey. Fred Johnson, and Chuma Edoga), drafted two rookies (Wyatt Milum, Jonah Monheim), saw Mitch Morse retire, and saw the franchise let Brandon Scherff's contract expire.

Scherff was a core piece of the offensive line since he signed a big deal with the franchise in 2022, starting all 53 possible games at right guard.

While Scherff is not under contract with the Jaguars, the former veteran captain is still seen as one of the NFL's quality guards. In a recent ranking of the top-32 guards, Pro Football Focus listed Scherff at No. 19.

"Scherff remains unsigned, but he likely won’t linger on the free-agent market much longer. At 33 years old, Scherff still profiles as one of the most consistent pass protectors in the NFL. Over the past three seasons, he ranks in the 88th percentile or better in each of PFF’s stable pass-blocking metrics, including PFF grade on true pass sets," PFF said.

Mekari is set to replace Scherff at right guard, with PFF giving Mekari a spot in the rankings at No. 28.

"Although injuries have held Mekari back throughout his career, he managed to string together his first full season in 2024, logging more than 1,100 snaps in his final season in Baltimore. While Mekari projects to play guard in Jacksonville, his value is in his versatility. He has played center, guard and tackle in his career while routinely earning solid marks as a pass protector," PFF said.

The Jaguars did not retain a single one of their internal free agents this offseason, and Scherff is perhaps the best player they let leave via an expiring contract. It remains to be seen if he signs with another team, but for now we can at least add context to the change of the guard in the Jaguars' offensive line unit.