Jaguars Mailbag: Should the Jaguars Change Their Strategy at OT?

Each week during this year's season, Jaguar Report will take Jacksonville Jaguars-related questions from our readers across social media and answer them in a question-and-answer format, giving readers a chance to have their voices heard.

You can submit your questions every week by tweeting them to the Jaguar Report Twitter handle or by submitting them here.

This week we take questions on the offensive tackle play, the linebacker room following the Joe Schobert trade, and more.

Q: How did the linebackers look against Cleveland? Will they be OK without Schobert?

A: Not great. Myles Jack got fooled by Cleveland's play-action on more than a few occasions while Damien Wilson is clearly going to be a weak link in coverage. Shaquill Quarterman played a solid game, but Quincy Williams was hit with an ill-advised roughing the passer penalty and PFF credited Dakota Allen with four missed tackles, with is a staggering number considering he only played 24 snaps.

I think the linebackers will be fine without Schobert, or at the very least will be just as good as they were going to be with him. Wilson isn't much of an asset in coverage, but he is a much better tackler than Schobert. The backup linebackers such as Allen and Williams could be a worry, though, as Quarterman is the only backup linebacker who seems to be improving throughout camp.

Q: Is there any reason Walker and Robinson aren't being talked about as the starting tackles? Why is Taylor being the penciled-in starter when he is struggling and Walker and Robinson are playing well.

A: The main answer is because Little has never been a right tackle. He played left tackle during his entire college career and over 75% of his training camp reps have been at left tackle. The Jaguars moved Little to right tackle for four practices earlier in training camp, and it was clear he wasn't exactly comfortable at the spot. He will have to be comfortable there since he will be the team's swing tackle this season, but I am not convinced from what we have seen of Little at right tackle in camp that he would be an upgrade over Taylor.

Q: Will Andre Cisco earn a starting role this season? Based on camp and the first preseason game he seems to be all over the field making plays.

A: This season? Yes, he will. But how soon in the season is the question? Cisco is too athletic, too physical, and too gifted at forcing turnovers for the Jaguars to keep him on the sideline for too long. With that said, he is a risk-taker at the safety position and the Jaguars know that this combined with his youth makes him a bit of a risky bet as an early starter. I think Cisco starts plenty of games for the Jaguars as a rookie, but I do think they lean toward veteran safeties to start the season off.

Q: Who would be your starting O-Line if it was up to you?

A: The same five we have been expecting to see. I don't think Cam Robinson has done anything to lose the LT job to Walker Little at this point in camp, while Little is likely so raw and inexperienced at right tackle that I am not sold he would serve as an upgrade over Taylor as a rookie. A.J. Cann has been one of the Jaguars' best linemen in camp, so there should be no question of Ben Bartch taking his spot in the starting lineup. Until Walker Little looks ready to replace Robinson, I think the best starting five are the five returning veterans.

Q: What’s wrong with Jawaan Taylor, specifically?

A: His feet. Jawaan Taylor has all of the tools in the world, but he just hasn't improved his ability to consistently play under control and use his foot quickness to his advantage. There are too many times where Taylor's lower body is off-balance and other times where it seems like his overall agility is more hindered than it should be for a player with his athletchism. These are the same issues Taylor had as a rookie and in 2020, so one would imagine it is simply who he is as a player if it is not fixed sooner than later.

Q: Do you think we will make a move at TE?

A: I don't. Simply put, what moves are there to be made? There simply aren't many good tight ends in the NFL, let alone enough to make it feasible to acquire a starting-level one in the middle of August. Zach Ertz could find a new team by Week 1, but he is an aging and expensive veteran coming off the worst year of his career. If that is the best option the team has, then they are likely better off kicking the can down the road and grabbing a pass-catching tight end during the 2022 offseason.

Q: After great performances by CJ Henderson, Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco. What do you believe are the odds that all three will be starting week 1.

A: If Tre Herndon is out for an extended period of time with his MCL sprain (Urban Meyer called him week-to-week earlier in the week), then you can go ahead and pencil in Tyson Campbell as the team's starting slot cornerback. Campbell already had a chance to earn that role before Week 1, but he will have to start out of necessity in any event Herndon is still injured.

As for CJ Henderson, I think he starts opposite of Shaquill Griffin in Week 1 as long he continues to practice and remain on the field. The Jaguars want Henderson to be a big part of the defense, but the job can't just be handed to him. If he continues to consistently be on the field and shows up in big moments like he did on Saturday, I would expect him to start against Houston.

Cisco is the one who seems the least likely to start. Jacksonville has turned up the competition at strong safety, rotating Cisco, Josh Jones, Rudy Ford, and Jarrod Wilson at the spot in recent days. Cisco and Wilson had strong games on Saturday while Jones struggled. I think the Jaguars likely start the season off with a veteran at safety, but I don't think Cisco will have to wait long.

Q: How much further along do you think Lawrence would be in both development and chemistry if he had received all of his reps with the first-team offense, instead of this charade of competition?

A: I am not sure his development would be any further along than it is right now. He is still getting more experience and different looks from the defense whenever he takes reps with the No. 2 offense. While it is strange to see him with backups, that time with the No. 2's is still full of valuable reps that should help him improve.

With that said, I do think the chemistry of the first-team offense would be a good bit better than it is right now if Lawrence had taken every single rep with the first-team offense -- or at least more than he has thus far. Offenses are all about timing, whether between the quarterbacks and receivers, quarterback and offensive line, quarterback and running backs, whoever. The longer Lawrence doesn't get every rep behind Cam Robinson and with Laviska Shenault is a bit of a day wasted because those are the players he will have to be comfortable with on Sept. 12.

Q: Which pass catchers do you predict leading the team in TDs, yards, catches, etc?

A: I think Marvin Jones ends up leading the team in catches. He may not get a lot of big-play chances, but he was targeted on four of Trevor Lawrence's 11 drop-backs against the Browns and it is clear from both that game and from the entirety of training camp that Jones is Lawrence's security blanket. The two have built a lot of chemistry and Jones is the team's top possession threat.

In terms of touchdowns and yards, I think DJ Chark has a slight advantage over Laviska Shenault. I think Shenault will likely get targeted more in the offense and have a more expansive role, but Chark is set to be the team's top deep threat. With a quarterback who excels at moving the ball downfield like Lawrence, I think Chark could turn these opportunities into some of the best production of his career, even if his overall volume decreases.