Training camp is still about a month away for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the right guard spot is already shaping up as one of the offensive line storylines worth watching.
That competition centers on Patrick Mekari and Wyatt Milum. John Shipley of Jaguars on SI identified the battle as one of four positional fights to track heading into camp, and this one has a clear shape to it: Mekari brings the veteran edge, while Milum is the younger challenger trying to force his way into the starting five.
Mekari joined the Jaguars in free agency in 2025 and spent part of the offseason dealing with injuries that cost him three games. When he was on the field, the results were uneven.
He finished 63rd out of 83 eligible guards in run-blocking grade, allowed 34 pressures, which was the 12th-most among guards, and gave up two sacks. His pass-blocking efficiency ranked tied for 58th.
Shipley’s read on the situation points to Mekari as the early favorite. "If I had to guess today who is the starting right guard in Week 1, I would say Patrick Mekari due to his experience," Shipley wrote. "But it does feel like second-year offensive lineman Wyatt Milum, a top-100 pick just a year ago, is in a good place to compete with Mekari for a spot in the starting lineup."
Milum gives this battle some real intrigue. The Jaguars used a third-round pick on him in 2025, and while he also dealt with injuries as a rookie, he still enters camp with a chance to make this a legitimate fight.
For now, though, Mekari’s NFL experience makes him the safer pick to open the season at right guard.
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