The Jaguars’ future along the offensive line came into sharper focus this week, and not in a good way.
With Anton Harrison out for the year after suffering an ACL injury, Jacksonville’s long-range plan at tackle suddenly looks much less settled. The team can survive the immediate blow - Walker Little is set to slide in at left tackle - but the bigger picture is now impossible to ignore. The Jaguars need a young tackle they can mold, and they need to start thinking about that now.
Harrison had been the clearest candidate to grow into the club’s long-term answer on the blind side, but he never got the chance to truly settle that debate. He started only six games at left tackle in his first four seasons, and all six came this year. That’s not nearly enough runway for the Jaguars to feel locked in on extension talks or to bank on him as the franchise’s future at the spot.
Had he stayed healthy and finished 2026 well, Harrison could have been sitting on a big decision either at season’s end or while playing through his fifth-year option. Even if his play had remained uneven, Jacksonville would have at least had another season to sort out its next move at left tackle. That window is gone now.
Instead, the Jaguars are left with more questions than answers. Harrison will be coming off an ACL injury.
Little will be in a contract year. Cole Van Lanen will be in his age-29 season.
That group gives Jacksonville a workable present, but it does not solve the future.
That’s why offensive tackle has now moved to the top of the team’s 2027 roster needs. It’s not that the Jaguars are suddenly in crisis at the position.
It’s that they no longer have the luxury of assuming Harrison is the answer. He was supposed to be the one who settled the spot.
Now he’s still an unknown, and the clock has started ticking.
The other part of this is simple: Jacksonville still hasn’t found that developmental tackle in recent drafts. Since James Gladstone took over as general manager, the only offensive or defensive positions the Jaguars haven’t drafted are quarterback and offensive tackle, with Wyatt Milum listed as a guard.
They’ve added a center, running backs, receivers, tight ends, linebackers, safeties, a cornerback, defensive ends, and a defensive tackle. Just not a tackle.
That gap matters now more than ever. The Jaguars may have been headed toward a tackle addition anyway, but Harrison’s injury removes any doubt about how urgent the need is. If Jacksonville wants insurance at the position and a long-term answer it can actually develop, it should be looking early - within the first two rounds of the 2027 NFL Draft.
In Other News...
Colts Facing A Deadline Decision That Could Affect The Jaguars
The Colts uneven start has put them in an awkward spot heading toward the NFL trade deadline, and the ripple effects could reach Jacksonville. Sitting at 2-4, Indianapolis is reportedly weighing whether to stay the course or begin selling off pieces, with ESPNs Jeremy Fowler saying the team may wait another week or two before settling on a direction based on how the next stretch plays out.
For the Jaguars, the uncertainty matters because any move Indianapolis makes could reshape the AFC South landscape in a hurry. The Colts do not have a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, which makes future draft capital especially valuable if they decide to move veteran players, but there still is no final decision on whether they will hold or deal as the deadline approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Bye Week Could Quietly Shape The AFC South Race
The Jaguars enter their Week 7 bye in a surprisingly strong spot at 4-2, sitting atop the AFC South while the rest of the division keeps sorting itself out around them. Even with Jacksonville off this week, the standings can still tilt in its favor depending on how a handful of other games shake out, with results involving Houston, Tennessee and a few other AFC contenders all carrying some weight for the playoff picture.
There is also the matter of the Colts, whose uneven start and recent front office changes have only added more uncertainty to the division race Jacksonville is chasing through the second half of the schedule. For a team that has already banked an early lead, the bye offers a chance to watch the board and see whether a quiet weekend can leave the Jaguars with an even better path once they get back to work. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Face Trade Deadline Pressure To Fix A Costly Pass Rush Problem
The Jaguars do not have much room to wait if they want to patch a pass rush that has already become a concern. With the trade deadline approaching, Jacksonville is dealing with depth issues up front while injuries have also thinned the secondary, making the defense feel even more vulnerable when the pressure does not arrive quickly enough.
One name that naturally fits the conversation is Khalil Mack, the Chargers pass-rusher who could help steady the edge and give Jacksonville a proven answer in a spot of need. The catch is obvious: Mack is expected to draw plenty of interest, which means the Jaguars would need to move fast if they hope to get involved before the market tightens. [Read more 🡒]