Jaguars OL Patrick Mekari: Swiss Army Knife Traits Helps Land No. 20 Spot

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A year ago, Patrick Mekari was the big fish of the Jacksonville Jaguars' first free agency in their new era. Fast forward to 2026, and his importance has hardly changed.

Mekari lands at the No. 20 spot in our top-25 rankings of the most important Jaguars entering the 2026 season, and for a good reason. Even with competition along the Jaguars' offensive line being clear during OTA practices, Mekari will be an important part of what the Jaguars do, seemingly no matter what.

Why Patrick Mekari is So Important

Mekari started 15 games (14 regular-season, one post-season) for the Jaguars at right guard last year and, surprisingly, did not take snaps at any of the other four positions along the offensive line. That could change this year as the Jaguars' roster has developed and matured since then, and they also have different challenges to face along the line this season.

Mekari's value comes via a skill-set that should allow him to move to any other position on the line in the event the Jaguars need it. He truly has the versatilty to be the perfect insurance option, even if he does enter the season as the starting right guard. That is what he thrived doing with the Baltimore Ravens, but he was not needed to be the Jaguars' flex lineman last year due the emergence of do-it-all lineman Cole Van Lanen.

But Van Lanen, who filled in at every offensive line spot but center last year, finished the year as the Jaguars' left tackle. He also finished the year with a knee injury that, to this point, has kept him off the field for the Jaguars' offseason program. Van Lanen should be expected to slot in at left tackle once he does return, which means Mekari makes sense as the Jaguars' best option to be their Swiss Army Knife for the 2026 season. If the Jaguars face injuries at any point, Mekari should prove to be invaluable.

Patrick Mekari's Strengths and Weaknesses

Mekari's biggest strength, of course, is his ability to play each spot on the offensive line. He has experience in the NFL at all five spots on the line, which gives the Jaguars options when it comes to swing tackle options, as well as another veteran who could step into the all-important center spot if the Jaguars ever need it. Not many players can play tackle, center, and guard, but Mekari has proven he can do so.

"Patrick is somebody who—he wasn’t offered the opportunity or the backdrop of being a draft pick coming out. He’s earned everything he's gotten, and he earned this opportunity. His versatility, obviously, there’s always attrition on the offensive line throughout the course of the season and obviously, he’ll allow us a lot of flexibility on the offensive side of the ball to feel like we’re never in a bind because we can move him around if necessary," Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said last March.

In terms of weaknesses, Mekari was not the most dominant pass-protector by any means a year ago. He led the Jaguars' interior linemen in pressures allowed and pressure rate and was tied for No. 54 in pressures allowed last year amongst guards with at least 500 pass-protection snaps with 34. With that in mind, Mekari did deal with injuries last season and that could be a reason he posted some of his lowest-graded pass-protection numbers.

What Happens if the Jaguars Need to Replace Patrick Mekari

In terms of just the guard position, the Jaguars should be relatively set if they need to replace either Mekari or starting left guard Ezra Cleveland. Wyatt Milum and Emmanuel Pregnon are recent top-100 picks who the Jaguars will need to get on the field sooner than later, so I do not think the Jaguars would have to do much thinking when it comes to finding a new guard.

Mekari's value as a flex option who can line up at center as well as both guard and both tackle spots, though? That is a role that only Van Lanen has proven can be matched. Perhaps another player on the Jaguars' roster could have that ability; Milum would be my best guess due to his tackle experience in college. But if the Jaguars lose Mekari due to injury at any point, their depth across the board will take a hit, not just at guard.

Why We Ranked Patrick Mekari Here

Mekari takes a spot on our rankings over Cleveland for the simple reason that his versatility makes him one of the most important pieces of the Jaguars' offensive line. Mekari still has to win a starting spot on the line, like one would assume everyone but Robert Hainsey and Anton Harrison will have to do. But there isn't a scenario where his versaility up and down the line doesn't make him one of this year's most important Jaguars.

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