A Movie Cliché Battle for Jaguars at Left Guard?

There was a controversial sports film from 1993 starring the incomparable James Caan called "The Program". The theatrical release centered on competition for playing time at a fictional NCAA university, and all of the issues that surrounded the players. In a great quote from the movie, LB Alvin Mack proclaimed, "Let the paramedics sort them out".

For Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen, it's not that dramatic of a situation. However, it is imperative in the new regime that the team storms out of the gate and gets it right early on as far as personnel. In the spirit of the aforementioned movie's running back battle, there will be an interesting battle for left guard in Duval with a holdover and an eager rookie looking to establish a legacy of his own.

The combatants will be six-year vet Ezra Cleveland, who started all 15 of his games played in Jacksonville, and second-rounder Wyatt Milum, an upstart from West Virginia University.

In the latest edition of the Jacksonville Jaguars Insider Podcast, Jaguars on SI Beat Reporter John Shipley highlighted the challenge at LT.

"I think now you move it over to the spot at left guard. This, to me, is where things get interesting. I think that you will see Ezra Cleveland start training camp as a starting left guard, you know, the first couple weeks, as they get in the pads, etc, I think you'll see Ezra Cleveland taking, a
vast majority of the snaps, honestly, at least to start camp," Shipley said.

"And I know people are certainly going to have some reactions to that, and think that this means that there's no chance Wyatt Milum is, therefore, going to start as a rookie. But I do think that there's a chance."

"I do think you potentially see Wyatt Milum as early as Week One. I'm going to project [him] as their Week One starter, I'm gonna take a swing. I'm gonna say I think Ezra Cleveland opens camp as a starter, they get into a contested battle, and it comes down pretty close. In my opinion, if the battle is close, you lean with the rookie, because the veteran should be further ahead of him, etc."

As this battle rages through the preseason, the Jaguars could take solace in the fact that they have two viable starters at this important position. The paramedics won't be needed to sort them out, but a good coaching staff will.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE