5 Free Agent Offensive Linemen the Jaguars Should Monitor This March
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a lot of decisions to make up and down the roster throughout the 2020 offseason. One unit on the team that will be especially under the microscope is the offensive line, which was much-maligned last season.
Jacksonville's running game had its ups and downs in 2019 in large part because of play along the line. Sometimes, the team flashed the ground and pound offense the team thrived on just two years prior, and other times the Jaguars seemed to run purely to their own detriment.
For context, the Jaguars rushed for 100 yards or more four times in the first eight weeks, rushing for 200 yards twice in that span. The four lowest rush totals in those games? 75, 81, 88, and 103.
Compare this to the final eight games of the season, when Jacksonville rushed for 100 yards or more in only two games, and never cracked 120 yards in a game. The four lowest rushing yard totals in these games were 29, 49, 67, and 77, a reflection of just how much the rushing offense sputtered down the stretch.
Combine this with the fact the Jaguars scored only three rushing touchdowns all year, and it is a poor reflection of the production from the running game. Moving into 2020, the Jaguars are going to want to ensure they can put together a unit that can sustain production throughout the course of a 16-game season.
One road the Jaguars could take to make this a reality could be through monitoring available offensive linemen in free agency come March. There a few big-name free agents set to hit the market, such as Joe Thuney and Brandon Scherff, along with other cheaper veterans. Which ones would it be prudent for the Jaguars to at least take a look at?
OG Quinton Spain
A former Tennessee Titan, Quinton Spain signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Buffalo Bills in 2019 and started all 16 games for the playoff team. After starting 48 games in Tennessee in his four years there, he has a good amount of experience under his belt and could step in at right guard right away if needed. Spain is a strong run-blocker who plays with a physical temperament and isn't likely to break the bank.
C/OG Graham Glasgow
One of the most underrated interior blockers in the league, Detroit Lions lineman Graham Glasgow has experience at both left guard and center and has somehow flown under the radar when the topic of offensive free agents arises. A former third-round pick, he has started 58 games for the Lions in four seasons, including 47 out of 48 in the last three years. He is a talented pass-blocker who has shown the ability to function in different run schemes, making him one of the more versatile and valuable free agents along the trenches this year.
C/OG Connor McGovern
Another player with positional versatility, Denver Broncos veteran Connor McGovern has split time at guard and center in his career and could give the Jaguars an option to plug holes along the offensive front. Jacksonville could play him at center and move Brandon Linder back to guard, or just have McGovern compete with either A.J. Cann or Andrew Norwell at guard. He isn't as good as Glasgow, but he is a serviceable player and an experienced starter (36 career starts).
C/OG Stefen Wisniewski
If the Jaguars want a veteran prescence instead of adding a younger lineman who is still developing, then bringing Stefen Wisniewski back for a second stint with the Jaguars could make sense. He is the epitome of a solid sixth lineman who can fill in wherever needed along the offensive line, and has done so with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 (four starts including playoffs) and Philadelphia Eagles in the past. He could provide improved depth and even challenge for a starting job if either Cann or Norwell struggled at any point.
OG/OT Joe Haeg
Indianapolis Colts veteran Joe Haeg has been up and down as a starter throughout his career, but he has proven to be a good depth piece and a lineman who is capable of filling in for shorter periods in time. He gives guard and tackle versatility thanks to his time at both right guard and tackle, though his playing time decreased heavily in each of the last two seasons. He shouldn't be signed to start but could be an option to fill a key depth role. He has the size and traits (length, strength) the Jaguars have favored in blockers under Dave Caldwell, as well.
What do you think? Should the Jaguars look into any of these linemen, or different blockers?
