The Jaguars’ offensive line heads into training camp with most of the same names from a year ago, but that doesn’t mean the picture is settled.
Jacksonville got strong play up front last season, and now the group is back with a few major questions hanging over it before Wednesday’s first practice. The biggest one sits on the left side.
If everything were clean and simple, Cole Van Lanen would be the answer at left tackle. The Jaguars made that clear last year when they signed him to an in-season contract extension, and he would be lined up as the starter for Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns if he were healthy.
But he isn’t there yet. The team has said Van Lanen should return to the practice field at some point during training camp, though the timing and the shape of that return are still unknown.
If he is not ready by Week 1, Walker Little is the obvious fallback at left tackle. Even so, the fact that this spot is unsettled at all is a problem for a line that wants to put its best five on the field.
Another spot worth watching is right guard, where Wyatt Milum could force his way into the mix. The Jaguars used a third-round pick on Milum in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he arrived with size, explosiveness, experience and versatility.
His rookie season was limited, mostly because of injuries, but this year could be different if he starts pushing Patrick Mekari. Mekari came in on a big-money deal last offseason, yet his first year was marred by injuries and penalties.
If there’s a position where Jacksonville might be open to a change, right guard is the one. Mekari has experience and positional flexibility, but the Jaguars may want to see a quicker return on their investment in Milum.
Then there’s Anton Harrison, who enters 2026 with more heat on him than at any point since Jacksonville took him in the first round in 2023. He delivered a career year at right tackle last season, and the Jaguars rewarded him this offseason by picking up his fifth-year option. That decision points to a major payday down the road, but only if Harrison keeps building on what he showed in 2025.
The talent is there for Harrison to become one of the league’s best tackles. The next step is tightening the details, especially in run blocking and in his week-to-week consistency.
He’s already shown enough to raise the bar. Now the Jaguars are waiting to see just how high he can take it.
In Other News...
Jaguars Camp Could Settle One Uncomfortable QB Question Fast
Training camp is about to put every Jaguars position group under a microscope, and the quarterback room should be one of the first places where the competition gets sorted out. Trevor Lawrence is firmly at the top, Nick Mullens is expected to stay in the backup role because of his experience, and the real pressure point sits further down the depth chart, where Carter Bradley has to show he belongs in the mix.
Bradley already gave the Jaguars a reason to notice him last season, when his work running the scout team offense drew praise from Anthony Campanile. Now he is trying to turn that kind of behind-the-scenes value into something more permanent, while a rookie with a different kind of appeal is waiting for his chance to make the decision harder than it looks on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars O-Line Debate Starts With Wyatt Milums Push For More
Wyatt Milums rookie year in Jacksonville never got off to a full-speed start, with the third-round pick missing the first month because of a knee injury before finally making his debut in Week 6. Once he got on the field, though, he showed enough in limited snaps to give the Jaguars another young offensive lineman worth tracking, especially after the club spent a 2025 draft pick on him with the idea that he could grow into a bigger role.
Now the conversation turns to where that role begins. Milum is in line to battle veteran Patrick Mekari for the right guard job next season, and while the competition is expected to be open, experience gives Mekari a built-in case to open the year in front. Milums value goes beyond one spot, too, which only adds to the intrigue as Jacksonville sorts out how quickly the rookie can push his way into the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Safety Picture Looks Nearly Set But One Camp Battle Still Lingers
The safety group in Jacksonville looks close to settled as training camp approaches, with Eric Murray and Antonio Johnson projected to open as the starters. Behind them, the roster picture points toward a fairly clear pecking order, and the Jaguars appear positioned to carry five safeties on the 53-man roster if things stay on script.
Caleb Ransaw, Jalen Huskey and Rayuan Lane look like the main depth pieces in that mix, giving the Jaguars some continuity at a spot that usually sorts itself out quickly once camp gets rolling. The one wrinkle is whether anyone from the back end can force the team to think bigger, because keeping an extra safety would require a real rise from someone lower on the chart. [Read more 🡒]
