Washington Insider Breaks Down What Jaguars Are Getting in RG Brandon Scherff

What kind of player are the Jaguars getting in Pro Bowl right guard Brandon Scherff?

Few teams made as much noise in free agency's first wave as the Jacksonville Jaguars. While other teams were wheeling and dealing in terms of making blockbuster trades, the Jaguars spent big on the free agency market and brought in seven new starters, with six of them on multi-year deals.

But what will each new player bring to the Jaguars' roster in 2022 and beyond? To find the answers, we go through FanNation's deep pool of talented insiders and reporters from across the NFL to get the skinny on each new Jaguar.

Next up: former Washington Commanders right guard Brandon Scherff, who the Jaguars signed to a three-year, $49.5 million contract with $30 million in guarantees.

With the Jaguars losing starting guards A.J. Cann and Andrew Norwell in free agency, the Jaguars opted to spend big on guard and bring in Scherff. Scherff has missed 24 career games due to injury in his career, including 22 over the last four years. With 89 career starts under his belt, he has been named a Pro Bowler five times and was a first-team All-Pro in 2020.

But what does Washington reporter Jeremy Brener see in the Jaguars' new guard? He helps break it down for us below.

1. Why didn't Brandon Scherff re-sign with Washington? Was there any interest?

Brener: There was a lot of interest on both sides to return. Scherff played on the franchise tag for the last two seasons and negotiations between the two sides went on for years. The reason why it ultimately didn't get done was the lack of money and the priority to save money for future players the team would rather sign on for longer: Chase Young, Montez Sweat and Terry McLaurin.

2. What does Brandon Scherff do best?

Brener: Scherff is going to keep your quarterback upright. He has only allowed eight sacks since the 2017 season, which is a remarkable stat. Granted, as an interior lineman, you aren't as likely to give up a sack as much as the tackle on the outside, but he's extremely reliable when he's out there in the trenches.

3. What are some of Scherff's weaknesses?

Brener: Injuries. Scherff hasn't played a full season since 2016 and missed six games last season. Now that Scherff is in his 30s, the body isn't as durable as it once was. When you guarantee someone $30 million, you want them to be on the field. So that's the primary concern when it comes to Scherff.

4. Is Scherff someone who Washington will struggle to replace?

Brener: Absolutely. Andrew Norwell is a decent band-aid, but he's not as good as Scherff. You have to keep in mind, Scherff has been named to the Pro Bowl in five of the last six seasons. It is never easy to immediately replace someone like that.

5. Was Scherff a smart addition for the Jaguars?

Brener: Absolutely. The Jaguars had money to spend, and although not every penny was maybe the wisest decision, I do think that adding Scherff was one of the good ones. The Jaguars needed to address the offensive line this offseason, and bringing Scherff aboard does that. He's not someone that immediately changes the entire offense, but it's a step in the right direction.