Jaguars Placing Emphasis on Competition at Right Tackle, Kicker
Two of the biggest position battles on the Jacksonville Jaguars' roster are exactly that as the offseason closes: competitions.
The Jaguars and Doug Pederson's staff have no qualms with letting their roster know that spots are up for grabs on offense, defense and special teams. Starting roles are being earned, not given, and this is as true at right tackle and kicker as it is any other position on the roster.
"They know that they’re going to be in a battle, and it was us as coaches to make sure that we communicated that with them," Pederson said on Thursday when the question of right tackle came up, a stance that could help define every other battle on Jacksonville's roster as the offseason draws to a close before training camp.
The Jaguars seemingly only have two offensive line starters locked into place in left tackle Cam Robinson and right guard Brandon Scherff, though it would be safe to assume Ben Bartch and Tyler Shatley are the likely Week 1 starters at left guard and center.
This leaves right tackle, where former second-round selections Jawaan Taylor and Walker Little are set to duke it out over the course of training camp to be the fifth and final piece of the offensive line.
“I’ve seen where it’s going to be good competition come training camp I think when we put the pads on. It’s hard. We’re not in pads right now with the offseason program, but both guys have performed well. They’ve really, I think, taken on this challenge," Pederson said.
"We used them both on the right side, the left side, and got them some valuable reps there. It'll be good competition as we head into camp and as we get deeper into camp to see where this thing falls out.”
Competition is exactly what offensive coordinator Press Taylor stressed about the position as well. Taylor, who the Jaguars traded up to select in the 2019 NFL Draft, has started all 49 games in his career and has been a Day 1 starter three years running. Meanwhile Little, the No. 45 overall pick last year, started three games at left tackle as a rookie and is now being given the tough task of moving to the right side.
So far, it is too early to name a leader in the race. But the race itself is exactly what the Jaguars want to see from the position, with the results likely determining both right tackle and the swing tackle position.
“It’s been great competition with those guys, really all those guys. Then you have to have the ability at some point in time to be a swing tackle for us," Taylor said. "[Offensive Line Coach] Phil [Rauscher]’s done a great job mixing those guys whether it’s the right tackle, left tackle, coming in a backup role, starting role, whatever that may be. Those guys have done a great job receiving that.
"They get put under fire a little bit in this offseason realm the way it is because you’re not really padded up. So, if a guy’s going 80 percent, you’re going 75 percent, it can look bad at times. You can’t really put your hands on guys. That’s just the nature of the offseason program, so you evaluate a lot of things, but you understand in the back of your mind we’re playing within a certain rule set that’s not going to be there really come training camp and then obviously in games. But you get a chance to see technique, you get a chance to see the overall understanding of what they’re being asked to do, how they’re going to do it. So, from that standpoint, I think it was a pretty good showing from everybody across the board.”
The other competition heating up on the Jaguars roster is at kicker. Josh Lambo is gone and Matthew Wright was waived before OTAs began, leaving veteran kicker Ryan Santoso and rookie kicker Andrew Mevis left to sort out who will handle kickoffs and field goals for Jacksonville this season.
“It’s been great. It’s been a really good battle," Jaguars special teams coordinator Heath Farwell said.
“Ryan and Andrew both did a great job this spring. Obviously being on one field, it does challenge it a little bit because they don’t get all their kicks in because normally there’s another field that they can do some stuff," Pederson said.
"But both of them did a good job. I think training camp’s going to be good for both of them again to provide a little competition within the two and see where it falls out in the end. But I thought both those guys really did a nice job. Ryan’s obviously been in the league, and he’s kicked and has a big leg and then Andrew coming in, first-time rookie and holding his own. So, it’s going to be a good competition I think going into camp.”
Santoso is relatively inexperienced in terms of game action, making four-of-five field goals at the NFL level while hitting six of eight extra points. He does have kickoff experience, though, and has converted a touchback on 21 of his 32 career kickoffs, a 65.6% rate. This would have been 15th best in the NFL in 2021.
"Ryan Santoso has done a really good job. The guy is loaded with talent. He’s a guy that’s been on the edge for the last couple of years. He started out, he was punting and kicking. That’s one thing I want to do is kind of solidify him into the kicking," Farwell said.
"He’s done a fantastic job. He’s very talented, we just have to get him more consistent and he did that all spring. I’m really excited (about) where he’s headed. He is going to have about five weeks off. Just trying to give him all the tools I can getting into this break so come training camp, we really have a good battle."
Meanwhile, Mevis enters the NFL as a player who is fresh off a solid final season in college. Mevis was 32-of-32 on extra-point attempts for Iowa State last year and made 20-of-23 field goals, making him a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. He also recorded 55 touchbacks as a kickoff member, while also taking on punter duties at one point in the 2021 season.
"Andrew Mevis is a good young player that is very consistent. Early on, he showed up and it wasn’t quite as consistent but that’s part of the deal. That’s part of being a rookie," Farwell said.
"Then here he was, he finished off the last few practices as good as anybody. We have a really good battle that I’m looking forward to seeing develop come training camp, preseason games. All that stuff, we try to give them as much tools as we can this offseason and coach them up and give them some details. Come training camp, they have taken all this month and see what it looks like (during) training camp practices, preseason games. Who can really stay focused every single practice, every single kick and we will see who wins the job. I’m excited to see the battle."
