3 Observations on Jaguars Extending Cam Robinson: How Is the No. 1 Pick Impacted?
Cam Robinson is officially in the books for the long haul.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have yet to formally announce Robinson's extension, though NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday the Jaguars and Robinson were in agreement on a three-year, $54 million deal, ensuring Robinson would remain in Jacksonville past 2022 and not play on the franchise tag.
"I think that the longer I've been around Cam, the more I realize how important the game is to him. You know, he came from a winning program. I've watched him sprain his ankle out at practice and tape it up and go right back to work. I've watched him rip the tendon in his thumb, looked down at it, tell Fergie to tape it and go play," Baalke said last month.
"Guys that don't love the game, don't do that. You know, he's proven over time that he's willing to sacrifice at a high level to help this team win. So is there things he's got to do better? Absolutely. Are there things the organization has to do? So, you know, we got to get better at everything. We got to be more consistent at everything. But feel very good about Cam and where he's at and his potential as a player."
So with Robinson locked up long-term and firmly in the Jaguars' future plans, what does this mean for the future and for the impending No. 1 overall pick?
Jaguars get Cam Robinson on more of a bargain than expected
There are still some important financials that aren't out yet when it comes to Cam Robinson, namely the amount of guaranteed money he is getting. While we don't know the exact details of Robinson's deal and whether it is more of a two-year deal than a three-year deal, there are a few points we can likely presume.
For one, it is safe to assume his $16.6 million cap hit -- which was the largest on the team -- is going to change under his new deal. Secondly, Robinson's contract looks genuinely better on the surface than many expected, with some wondering if Robinson would get close to $70 million in total money after being franchise-tagged two years in a row.
Robinson's current deal will have him between No. 7 and No. 8 among left tackles in average annual value and No. 14 among left tackles in total value. Chances are, the guaranteed money will make the deal look even better. Robinson isn't the type of player you would expect to break the bank, but the extension the Jaguars reportedly agreed to terms with Robinson on is a better bargain than I think anyone expected.
Walker Little pick remains a bit mystifying; whether he wins a role in camp will say a lot about the Jaguars' front office's team-building ability
Let us preface this take with this: Walker Little is a good football player who deserved to be a top-50 pick last season. He played well in his three starts as a rookie and has a legit chance to be a starter in some capacity in 2022. With this in mind, the Robinson contract just makes me wonder exactly why the Jaguars drafted Little when they did, especially when a number of wide receivers, linebackers, interior linemen, and tight ends went off the board immediately after the Jaguars took Little.
If the Jaguars and general manager saw Cam Robinson as their long-term tackle last offseason -- and it is clear they did -- then why exactly did they draft Little when they did? Because if he doesn't win the right tackle job in 2022, then they will have selected a swing tackle at No. 45, and doing that would call their ability to build a team seriously into question. Little is a good player, but whether he beats Jawaan Taylor for a job will dictate if he was a good pick.
How to No. 1 pick is impacted
The most popular question following the signing of Robinson has been what the signing could mean for the Jaguars at No. 1 overall. It is a fair question, too, considering the Jaguars have been linked to North Carolina State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu all offseason and especially in recent days. With that said, I do not think the Robinson pick changes anything about the No. 1 pick, nor do I think the timing plays a factor either.
Whoever the Jaguars took at No. 1 was likely going to be a left guard as a rookie, simply because Robinson was always locked in as left tackle. And since the Jaguars have been transparent about extending Robinson for the last two months, there is no clear path in the near-future for that pick to play left tackle. In short, edge rusher always made the most sense at No. 1 and makes even more sense today than yesterday.
