Jaguars Added New Center Mitch Morse Despite 'Aggressive Push' From Steelers
The Jaguars offensive line questions have been answered, but not before the Pittsburgh Steelers tried to ruin Trent Baalke’s plan at the center position. Despite the Steelers’ “aggressive push” for the former Buffalo Bills’ center according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Jaguars and Morse put pen to paper on a two-year, $10.5 Million contract.
Morse was originally drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015, which had Doug Pederson on staff, before being signed to the Bills in 2019 where he has resided ever since. During his stint in Buffalo, Morse has become one of the league’s more consistent centers. In 2022, Morse was selected to the Pro Bowl.
According to Pro Football Focus, Morse allowed 31 pressures and one sack on 773 pass-block snaps. His pass-blocking grade of 71.4 ranked seventh among 37 qualifying centers. It’s Morse’s run-blocking ability, however, that will likely be the biggest contribution to the team after a dismal 2023 season on the ground for the Jaguars’ offense.
While Jacksonville was looking for competition at the position for Luke Fortner, the Steelers had to fill a massive hole left behind after releasing Mason Cole. For them, the search continues. Luckily, it’s a strong class, featuring players like Connor Williams, Lloyd Cushenberry III and Tyler Biadasz.
The NFL Draft also boasts some intriguing options at the position, highlighted by Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson. The Jaguars seem to have filled their need at the position, however, and will likely use their 17th overall selection elsewhere.
Since Morse was released and not scheduled to hit free agency, the Jaguars were able to jump ahead of schedule and sign Morse before the NFL’s tampering window opened. With the offensive line seemingly set in stone for 2024, Baalke and the Jaguars’ front office now shift their focus elsewhere as they are rumored to be interested in bringing back Calvin Ridley and trading for Chiefs’ star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
Holes persist along the Jaguars roster as questions remain unanswered at receiver, defensive line, edge rusher and cornerback. The Jaguars cap situation isn’t as flexible as some other teams but opportunities to improve the roster are very much still there.
How the Jaguars’ front office approaches free agency will likely be a big indication as to how they approach the NFL Draft. What will the new defense under Ryan Nielsen look like? How will the Jaguars better support Trevor Lawrence? These are two questions that fans hope to be answered in the coming months as the offseason is now officially underway.
