Jaguars Free Agency Rumors: Jawaan Taylor Could Receive Big Money on Open Market
Offensive tackle is a premium position in the NFL and when a talented one reaches the free agent market, they typically get rewarded handsomely.
For a Jacksonville Jaguars team with only a projected $6.9 million in cap space per Over The Cap, retaining offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor proves difficult. According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, the 25-year-old offensive lineman may be projected for a big payday out on the open market, with figures as high as $18 million annually.
Taylor is coming off a season in which he posted the third-lowest pressure rate on pass-blocking snaps (2.5%), five sacks allowed, and seven total penalties while proving his durability again by not missing a single game of action for the fourth straight season.
At 6-foot-5 and 312 pounds, Taylor’s size and production are an enticing fit for a team in need of an upgrade at the right tackle position. As for retaining him, the Jacksonville Jaguars are in a tough position to do so.
With the Jags paying left tackle Cam Robinson an average of over $15 million a season on a three-year pact signed last offseason, along with the massive contract of right guard Brandon Scherff, there are legitimate questions on whether or not the Jaguars can afford to give a third offensive lineman a massive contract with such limited wiggle room.
Insert Walker Little. A second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Little appeared in all 17 games last season, albeit in a limited role, and posted a 61.1 overall grade while allowing a single sack, and two penalties in 234 snaps played per Pro Football Focus.
Little showed promise and while still on a rookie contract the Jaguars could shift their focus toward continuing the 23-year-old’s development. In a February media availability, Jags general manager Trent Baalke made clear that Little made an impact in his limited time on the field, while the team is still open to bringing Taylor back into the fold.
“You never know what you’ve got until you get them on the field,” Baalke said. “Walk got a great chance to go out there and show his value as a player. It’s a balancing act. You’ve got good players. You’ve got a good young player in Jawaan (OL Jawaan Taylor) who played at a high level. You’ve got a good young player in Walk that played at a high level when he got an opportunity, so we’re just going to, again, to assess the roster, talk to the coaches, which we have a lot of collaboration back and forth and just try to make the best decision for us, but bringing Jawaan back is something that we would like to do.”
