With roster cutdowns near, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded offensive lineman Fred Johnson to the Philadelphia Eagles in return for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick.
So what can we take away from this move?
I think the big thing is that even with some unknowns around the offensive line unit as a whole, the Jaguars really like the tackle depth that they have.
Johnson joined the Jaguars this offseason as a free agent, signing with left and right tackle experience. He could have potentially filled the swing tackle role off the bench for Jacksonville.
But without Johnson on the roster now, the Jaguars still have several other tackle options that they clearly feel comfortable with.
Presumably starting at left tackle will be Walker Little. On the right side of the line, one of Chuma Edoga, Patrick Mekari, or Anton Harrison will be coming off the bench, and all three can line up at the tackle position.
Beyond those four players, the Jaguars just drafted Wyatt Milum, who may be an interior player at the NFL level but has ample tackle experience during his college career. This trade may also be a sign that Cole Van Lanen is getting healthy, and he’s another player who can fill in on both sides of the line.
Improved play from the Jaguars’ offensive line this season is a must. Consistent success for any offense begins with the offensive line providing time in the pocket for the quarterback and a run game to lean on.
To help accomplish this, GM James Gladstone invested heavily in this position group over the offseason, making six additions between free agency and the NFL draft, bolstering the competition and adding quite a bit of versatility in the process.
The competition to find the best starting five configuration has carried on throughout training camp, and at least from the outside looking, the right side may still be unsettled.
Harrison has started the last two seasons at right tackle, but as mentioned, both Mekari and Edoga can play that position. We’ve also seen both Mekari and Edoga getting first-team reps at right guard throughout the summer.
The other thing that we can take away from this trade–and I think we can say we already knew this–is that Gladstone isn’t afraid to be active and make deals.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars trade Fred Johnson to Eagles; what this move tells us