The Jaguars' Offensive Line Has Taken a Step Forward

The Jacksonville Jaguars have undergone several changes this offseason.

Andrew Ites of Pro Football Focus believes the Jaguars have one of the most improved offenses in the National Football League. The addition of offensive lineman Patrick Mekari makes this argument fair.

"The Jaguars joined this group of big spenders along the offensive line by giving significant contracts to Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey this offseason. Mekari had a very solid six-year run with the Baltimore Ravens, but he is coming off the worst year of his career (59.0 PFF overall grade in 2024). Jacksonville is betting that the 27-year-old Mekari can return to form and solidify the interior offensive line for quarterback Trevor Lawrence," Ites said.

"After putting together a decent season in 2022, Hainsey really struggled in Tampa Bay in 2023 and was relegated to the bench last year for a [Tampa Bay] Buccaneers team that had one of the best offensive lines in the league. After giving him a three-year, $21 million contract, the Jaguars are likely expecting Hainsey to return to the starting lineup this season.

"Jacksonville capped off the offseason by spending a third-round pick on West Virginia tackle Wyatt Milum. The 12th-ranked tackle on PFF's big board put together a stellar career with the Mountaineers in which he ranked in the 97th percentile or better in both PFF run-blocking and pass-blocking grades while not allowing a single sack over the past three seasons."

According to Lance Zierlein, Milum is "tough, strong and assignment-oriented, Milum possesses the frame and mentality of an NFL player. It’s hard to get excited about his prospects as a tackle due to his shorter arms, but there is no reason to believe Milum can’t bump inside to guard and offer tackle depth in a pinch.

"He plays with heavy hands in pass protection and has ideal instincts to sniff out twists and stop them in their tracks. He’s hard to bull-rush or push around in the running game, but he will slip and slide off sustain blocks at times due to a narrowing base. His physical profile, play strength, and football intelligence could have him ready as an early starter for gap-scheme teams.

Zierlein noted that "new head coach Liam Coen will look for the injection of new talent along the offensive line to help his offense reach its full potential in 2025."